what does electrons, protons, conductors, insulators and metals have to do with it?
Electric wires are made of good conductors like copper or aluminumThe metal atoms of the wire provide a 'cloud' of relatively free electrons that can easily move from atom to atomA power source like a battery provides a voltage across the wire which is like water pressure across a piping systemThe electrical pressure forces electrons into one end of the wire and an equal number of electrons are forced out the other end (and back to the battery)Although the electrons may migrate through the wire relatively slowly depending upon resistance of the circuit and electrical current, there is little delay at shoving electrons out the other end of the wire (and the shoving takes place at nearly the speed of light)The protons of the metal are fixed to the nuclei and remain in placeAn insulator has a relatively sparse 'cloud' of free electrons and resists the flow of electronsElectrical wires are usually covered with (rubber) insulation to keep the electrons flowing only in the circuit rather than taking a shortcut (shorting) back to the power sourceIn an AC (alternating current) circuit, the power generator pushes the electrons back and forth at about 60 cycles per second.
