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Electrons move when a field acts on them. If the electrons move towards the field, they cancel out the field when enough electrons build up.

Shouldn't the free electrons stop moving eventually and reach a stable system where there is no field acting on any electron? I would expect them to keep moving until they build up to cancel out the field acting on other electrons resulting in the system being static. Please don't make your answers too technical, I don't know a lot about physics.

EDIT: I have no knowledge of quantum mechanics but I believe the random motion I'm talking about is called the Fermi velocity.

dfg
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  • What kind of object or system is producing this electric field? In many cases (Hall effect, positively charged conductor, ...), you are right. But it would be more clear if you describe what you're imagining. – BMS Mar 04 '14 at 03:49
  • @BMS Just a neutrally charged conductor. Assume theres no external magnetic field acting on the electrons. I have no knowledge of quantum mechanics but I believe the random motion I'm talking about is called the Fermi velocity. – dfg Mar 04 '14 at 03:54
  • Well, you're asking about the details of an intrinsically quantum effect without knowing anything about quantum mechanics. I think the scope of this question is much too broad. –  Mar 04 '14 at 05:03
  • You say:"Electrons move when a field acts on them." This is not so much true. Electrons move with their thermal velocity even if there is not any $\vec E$. Since we cannot make temperature $0K$ so free electrons cannot be made at rest. – user31782 Mar 04 '14 at 13:41

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