It's a common misconception that electrons in an electric current move at near the speed of light. While it's true that electrical signals travel very quickly (close to the speed of light), the actual electrons themselves move much slower.

Here's why:

* Drift velocity: Electrons in a conductor don't just zoom around randomly. They actually have a slow, drift velocity, which is the average velocity they achieve due to the electric field. This drift velocity is usually on the order of millimeters per second, much slower than the speed of light.

* Signal propagation: What travels close to the speed of light is the electrical signal, which is a wave of electric and magnetic fields. This wave propagates through the conductor due to the interaction of the electric field with the electrons.

Think of it like this: Imagine a pipe filled with marbles. If you push a marble at one end, the marble at the other end doesn't immediately fly out. Instead, it takes time for the push to propagate through the pipe, causing each marble to nudge the next one. The signal travels quickly, but the individual marbles move slowly.

In summary:

* Electrons in a conductor have a slow drift velocity.

* The electric signal, which is a wave of electric and magnetic fields, travels close to the speed of light.

Let me know if you'd like to delve deeper into the details of drift velocity and signal propagation!