Love this article. As a former EE ( been in software too long and never actually worked as an EE LOL ), demystifying common misconceptions about a subject is a great way to get people to build a better mental model. Wish more educators would do this in college/university.

But, if you don’t read the whole article, do read this tidbit.

“ ...little use by educators of the wind/sound electrical analogy:

AIR is a physical substance.

SOUND is a wave that propagates rapidly through a volume of air.

WIND is a flowing motion of air already present.

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ELECTRIC CHARGES are a physical substance.

ELECTRIC ENERGY is a wave that travels via a column of charge.

ELECTRIC CURRENT is a flowing motion of the charge already present.

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The confusion between charge-flow and energy-flow is similar to confusion between wind versus sound. Do you know that sound is not wind? To believe that electrons flow at the speed of light is similar to believing that air must travel at 720mph out of your mouth to distant ears. “