In all of the books of electronics and electrical engineering, the electric signal through the conductor is the ordered motion of electrons
This guy wrote a few books too...
Here’s an article he wrote a few years ago.
What is Electronics - Ralph Morrison
Here is an excerpt from the article:
Storing or moving energy.
There is a common misconception that signals are carried in conductors. Somehow this association crosses over to the idea that conductors carry both signals and energy. A few simple calculations can show that this is a false idea. Consider a 50-ohm transmission line carrying a 5-volt logic signal. The initial current at switch closure is 500 mA. A typical trace is a a gram-mole of copper that has 6 x 1023 copper atoms (Avogadro’s number). Each atom can contribute one electron to current flow. Knowing the charge on an electron makes it easy to show that the average electron velocity for 500 mA is a few centimeters per second. What is even more interesting is that only a trillion electrons are involved in this current flow. This means that only one electron in a trillion carries the current. This also says that the magnetic field that moves energy is not located in the conductors. The only explanation that makes sense is that energy in the magnetic field must be located in the space between two conductors. Conductors end up directing energy flow - not carrying the energy.
Here is another article written by the Late Ralph Morrison:
by RALPH MORRISON
The laws I want to talk about are the basic laws of electricity. I am not referring to circuit theory laws as described by Kirchhoff or Ohm, but to the laws governing the electric and magnetic fields. These fields are fundamental to all electrical activity, whether the phenomenon is lightning, ESD, radar, antennas, sunlight, power generation, analog or digital circuitry. These laws are often called Maxwell’s equations.
The energy we get from sunlight travels in space. The energy comes to us as electromagnetic waves. This means there are both electric and magnetic fields present in the light. There are no wires. This field energy is moving at the speed of light.
Visible light is electromagnetic field energy where the wavelength is 10-7 meters. Radar is electromagnetic wave energy where the wavelength is 10-2 meters. Utility power is electromagnetic wave energy where the wavelength is near 10 million meters. Lenses can direct light energy; waveguides can direct radar energy; and copper conductors can direct the energy at power frequencies. Thus, we direct energy flow at different frequencies by using different materials. We have learned how to control where we want the field energy to go.
If we accept the idea that fields carry energy in space, it must be true at all frequencies. That is the law. If it is true for light, it must also be true for 60Hz power and at DC. For utility power, the energy travels in the space between conductors, not in the conductors. This is not the picture presented by circuit diagrams, where energy seems to be carried by conductors. In digital circuits, the signals and energy travel in the spaces between traces or between traces and conducting surfaces.
Buildings have halls and walls. People move in the halls, not the walls. Circuits have traces and spaces. Signals and energy move in the spaces, not in the traces.