Drift Velocity

Drift velocity is the average speed at which electric charges, typically electrons, move through a conductor when an electric field is applied. Imagine electrons as tiny particles in a wire; when you connect the wire to a battery, an electric field pushes these particles to move in a particular direction. Despite their rapid random motion, the drift velocity refers to the overall, steady movement caused by the electric field. It's usually very slow—on the order of millimeters per second—since electrons constantly bump into atoms, but this movement is what allows electric current to flow through the wire.