Electrical conductors are basically reservoirs of electrons that can move around freely. Think of a body of water like the ocean. There is a lot of movement happening all at the same time: the tides, the waves, rip currents etc.
A wire is an essential one dimensional conductor; the electrons can move only backwards or forwards. Think of a narrow channel of water like a canal or river. A canal has no current, while a river has a direct current: it always flows one way. But a tidal inlet has an alternating current. The net flow of water is zero, but there is still a constant movement of water, backwards and forwards.
At a tidal estuary both things are happening: there's a DC component caused by net egress of water and an AC component caused by the tide.
The analogy doesn't really work because bodies of water also have capacitance. Wires are more like pipes. But hopefully you get the idea. Another way to think of it is like shouting in the wind, if you know how sound works.
Look into Fourier transforms if you're interested in learning more.
A wire is an essential one dimensional conductor; the electrons can move only backwards or forwards. Think of a narrow channel of water like a canal or river. A canal has no current, while a river has a direct current: it always flows one way. But a tidal inlet has an alternating current. The net flow of water is zero, but there is still a constant movement of water, backwards and forwards.
At a tidal estuary both things are happening: there's a DC component caused by net egress of water and an AC component caused by the tide.
The analogy doesn't really work because bodies of water also have capacitance. Wires are more like pipes. But hopefully you get the idea. Another way to think of it is like shouting in the wind, if you know how sound works.
Look into Fourier transforms if you're interested in learning more.