Drift velocity is the average velocity that a charged particle, such as an electron, experiences when it moves in a material due to the presence of an electric field. When a voltage is applied across a conductor, an electric field is created, which exerts a force on the charged particles (electrons) within the material.
The force causes the electrons to move in the direction of the electric field, but they are also constantly colliding with other particles in the material, causing them to change direction and lose some of their momentum. The net effect of these collisions is to slow down the electrons and cause them to move with a drift velocity that is much slower than the speed of the electric field.
The drift velocity of electrons in a conductor depends on several factors, such as the strength of the electric field, the density of free electrons in the material, and the temperature of the material. In general, the drift velocity is quite slow, on the order of millimeters per second, even in materials with high electrical conductivity.
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