How does AC electricity transfer energy if the electrons just go back and forth, and don’t actually go anywhere?
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There is no EILI5 for electricity. The story we get about a firehose of angry pixies is good enough so that the average Joe on the street can wire up a light switch… But it falls apart as soon as you put any real thought into it.
The short answer is that electrons don’t transfer energy. The wire just enables “communication” between the power source and the site of power consumption. The power is actually pushed into and pulled out of the energy field surrounding everything. Does this make any sense? No. Probably not. Again, there is no EILI5 for electricity.
For a long answer, Veritasium on YouTube goes into detail on the how and why… But even he stirred up a hornets nest with other really smart people finding lots to quibble with.
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