Definition:Conduction Electron

Definition

A conduction electron is an electron, typically in a metal, which is able to flow freely through the substance it is part of.

This gives rise to an electric current when a potential difference is applied to separate points on that substance.

Also known as

A conduction electron is also known as:

a metallic electron

a free electron.

Also see

• Results about conduction electrons can be found here.

Sources

• 1958: C.A. Coulson: Electricity (5th ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {I}$: Preliminary Survey: $\S 2$. Electric currents
• 1990: I.S. Grant and W.R. Phillips: Electromagnetism (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Force and energy in electrostatics: $1.3$ Electric Fields in Matter: $1.3.3$ The macroscopic electric field