what is conventional current

what is conventional current

1 year ago 37
Nature

Conventional current is a convention used to describe the direction of current flow in a circuit. It assumes that current flows out of the positive terminal of a source, through the circuit, and into the negative terminal of the source. This convention was chosen during the discovery of electricity, but it was later found to be incorrect. Electrons actually flow out of the negative terminal of a source, through the circuit, and into the positive terminal of the source. This is known as electron flow.

Despite the fact that conventional current is not an accurate representation of the actual flow of electrons, it is still widely used in electrical engineering. Certain symbols and rules were created using conventional current, and changing to electron flow would cause confusion for both old and new students. However, it is important to realize that both conventional current and electron flow are equally valid and can be used to analyze electric circuits.

In summary, conventional current is a convention used to describe the direction of current flow in a circuit. It assumes that current flows out of the positive terminal of a source, through the circuit, and into the negative terminal of the source. While it is not an accurate representation of the actual flow of electrons, it is still widely used in electrical engineering.

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