Question : Ethernet and Collision Avoidance/Detection Question

I'm still new to the whole Ethernet networking thing.  Recently i read that the technology broadcasts packets along the medium when its quiet but there are moments when collisions can occur causing the simulataneous senders to pause and resend at random moments.

Now I know nothing about electronics but is it wrong for one to relate collisions amongst simultaneous ethernet broadcasts in a medium to the waves in an ocean of water molecules -- the waves generated from a person swimming and a jetski will combine to create a new wave.  From what I recall, devices (and people) are able to take this combined wave and are able to spit out what the original waves were.  Do electrons work in the same way?  Can you explain whats going on when an ethernet collision occurs?

Answer : Ethernet and Collision Avoidance/Detection Question

See if this helps.
http://www.erg.abdn.ac.uk/users/gorry/course/lan-pages/csma-cd.html

Also, do a google search on CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) or Ethernet AND CSMA or RFC AND CSMA/CD.  If you don't see the info you're looking for, let me know and I'll find somes sites that will give as much technical info that you want.