A quick physics lesson. Many people here seem to think it's the speed of the the particle that is important: it isn't it's the ability to change the frequency and amplitude in a given ammount of time. These changes are what carry data.
electron drift: in average high conducting wire and given a good sized (120v) voltage, this speed is roughly 1m/10min. Not exactly something to transfer data with eh?
EM pulse speed in a wire: 2.997 * 10^8 m/s > EMPS > 2.997 * 10^7 m/s. The frequency can be changed quite easily and quickly
Photon speed: Depends on the medum, but 2.997*10^8 >= PS > 2.997 * 10^7 m/s (note this low is an estimate, it might go down to 10^6, but definetly not lower. The frequency of group of photons can change much easier and quicker than that of a EMPS caused by a series of electrons lollygagging in a wire.
This oscillation is what gives them the data transfer speed. This isn't quantum physics, it is taught in the second course of intro physics (not conceptual, but actual) in colleg. Also known as the first E&M course
> Also, since photons do not posses charge, they can not be interfered with by any kind of static electricity, magnetic fields, etc. Their signal stays truer.
A photon is an oscillating series of electrical and magnetic feilds. Static electricity is an electric feild, which would affect both. Not quite as much as an electron or it's associated EM feild, but both nonetheless
ahhhh, finally someone who knows how this stuff works. Let's give these people a physics lecture (I remember having to explain this to my dad, who thought it was the SPEED of the electrons that made these things so fast:) -Jim
from what I remember in Physics, in a standard, high conducting wire, electrons travel, a meter every ten minuts on average (it's the drift velocity that matters) speed of an individual electrono is irellevant
Computers already work at the speed of light they are based on EM pulses the travel along with the elctrons. The EM Pulses move at the speed of light, and they are what cause the data transfer. They use change of frequency and amplitude to send signals. The data definetly isn't transfered with the electrons themselves. These things move at a rate most easily measured by minutes per meter. -Jim
Slashdot Mirror
A quick physics lesson. Many people here seem to think it's the speed of the the particle that is important: it isn't it's the ability to change the frequency and amplitude in a given ammount of time. These changes are what carry data.
electron drift: in average high conducting wire and given a good sized (120v) voltage, this speed is roughly 1m/10min. Not exactly something to transfer data with eh?
EM pulse speed in a wire: 2.997 * 10^8 m/s > EMPS > 2.997 * 10^7 m/s. The frequency can be changed quite easily and quickly
Photon speed: Depends on the medum, but 2.997*10^8 >= PS > 2.997 * 10^7 m/s (note this low is an estimate, it might go down to 10^6, but definetly not lower. The frequency of group of photons can change much easier and quicker than that of a EMPS caused by a series of electrons lollygagging in a wire.
This oscillation is what gives them the data transfer speed. This isn't quantum physics, it is taught in the second course of intro physics (not conceptual, but actual) in colleg. Also known as the first E&M course
> Also, since photons do not posses charge, they can not be interfered with by any kind of static electricity, magnetic fields, etc. Their signal stays truer.
A photon is an oscillating series of electrical and magnetic feilds. Static electricity is an electric feild, which would affect both. Not quite as much as an electron or it's associated EM feild, but both nonetheless
ahhhh, finally someone who knows how this stuff works. Let's give these people a physics lecture (I remember having to explain this to my dad, who thought it was the SPEED of the electrons that made these things so fast :) -Jim
from what I remember in Physics, in a standard, high conducting wire, electrons travel, a meter every ten minuts on average (it's the drift velocity that matters) speed of an individual electrono is irellevant
Computers already work at the speed of light they are based on EM pulses the travel along with the elctrons. The EM Pulses move at the speed of light, and they are what cause the data transfer. They use change of frequency and amplitude to send signals. The data definetly isn't transfered with the electrons themselves. These things move at a rate most easily measured by minutes per meter. -Jim