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Name: Sean
Status: student
Age: 19
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999
Question:
ok...I beleive that the speed of light is typically much faster than the speed of electricity, and my roommate and I got into an arguement on the speed difference. I say light is very much faster than electricity(like e-mail or a phone call), and he says that they are close to if; not the same speed. Whom is right? and if you answer this...could you give a measurement such as IE: elec->2300miles/sec

Replies:
Electrical signals in a wire typically travel at something like 1/3 the speed of light. Code words that will normally lead you into a discussion of this subject in electrical engineering textbooks include "transmission line", and "characteristic impedance".

Tim Mooney


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