[GRLUG] fiberoptic internet

[Bob Kline]

On Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 4:51 PM, Michael Mol <mikemol at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, Mar 28, 2010 at 4:46 PM,  <peyeps at iserv.net> wrote:
> > Is it my imagination, or does a wireless connection give you higher speed
> > than a wired connection?
>
> Hilarious observation, considering how we tend to use wireless today.
>
> The more I try to break down the distinction between glass waveguide,
> and electric charge transfer over copper, the more I fall into a pit
> of self-debate about distinctions in physics. I think you broke my
> brain.
>

Electrons flow very slowly in copper.
A few millimeters per second.  What
travels fast in copper is an electric
field. And there are a lot of electrons
in a cubic centimeter of copper, so
even slow movements can add up to
huge currents.

Glass and microwave waveguide
plumbing have more in common.
Both are solutions of Maxwell's
equations for various boundary
conditions.

    -- Bob
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