Electrical Engineering ⇒ Topic : Direction of Current in a Conductor

DIRECTION OF CURRENT IN A CONDUCTOR

Figure 1(a) shows that there is no current through the conductor. Figure 1 (b) shows that the conductor carries current away from the observer, i.e., in the downward direction, while Figure 1(c) indicates that the conductor carries current towards the observer, i.e., upward direction.

                                                                                      figure (1)

  We have studied that electric current is nothing but a flow of electrons, but the direction of current flow which has been accepted is purely arbitrary and there is some confusion in this regard. In this book, the normally accepted convention is used. If a circuit has a resistance and is connected across a battery (dc voltage source) as shown in Figure (a), then the electric current is regarded as flowing from the positive terminal (anode) through the circuit and into the negative terminal (cathode).Thus, the flow of current in the circuit is in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of electrons, which always travel from the cathode to the anode. It means that the conventional direction of current is in the direction of motion of positive ions.

                                      FIGURE (a) A simple electric circuit