On Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:25:05 +0000 (UTC), Danny D'Amico
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Nov 2013 06:38:36 -0800, TimR wrote:

electrons don't actually get pulled from ground and sent to your house,
unless you have a DC supply. In AC, electrons merely bounce back and
forth a short distance, like a millionth of a meter.
The wave travels, but not the electrons. IIRC.

This is a good thought-provoking point.

The electrons do get bounced back and forth, but, isn't there "current"
in so much that *work* is being done, which requires the electrons to
actually "move"?

Ah, so AC power doesn't work? It's good to find that out after 40
years as an electrical engineer. ;-)

The work is being done by the "wave". They do move, just not very
far. They make up for being home bodies (though it's more than a few
micrometers, IIRC) by their numbers. These numbers are fairy easy to
calculate but not tonight. ;-)