Question

When electrons drift in a conductor from lower to higher potential, does it mean that all the ‘free electrons’ of the conductor are moving in the same direction?

Answer 1

No, it does not mean that all the free electrons move in the same direction. In a conductor, free electrons are constantly flowing due to thermal energy, traveling randomly in various directions. When an electric field is provided, electrons tend to migrate in the opposite direction, from lower to higher potential. The drift of electrons is influenced by both thermal motion and the applied electric field as they continue to wander randomly.