Current
It has been proven that electrons (negative charges) move through a conductor in response to an electric field.
Electron current is defined as the directed flow of electrons.
The direction of electron movement is from a region ofnegative potential to a region of positive potential. Therefore electric current can be said to flow from negative to positive.
The direction of current flow in a material is determined by the polarity of the applied voltage.
NOTE: In some electrical/electronic communities, the direction of current flow is recognized as being from positive to negative.
The magnitude of current is measured in AMPERES. A current of one ampere is said to flow when one coulomb of charge passes a point in one second. Remember, one coulomb is equal to the charge of 6.28 x 10 to the 18 electrons.
Frequently, the ampere is much too large a unit for measuring current. Therefore, the MILLIAMPERE (mA), one-thousandth of an ampere, or the MICROAMPERE (one-millionth of an ampere),is used. The device used to measure current is called an AMMETER.
(back) (top) (return to basic electronics page)
Download the NEETS for your own library.
If you would like to download a module or the entire set, we just require a small fee to ensure your manuals are virus free from our secure server. Just click on the highlighted NEETS link.
Become a loyal member to our site. It's free!
Site Search
Tweet
Translate your page
If English is not your first language you can Translate the text on this page to any one of the languages found in the drop down menu. Select your language from the list for an instant translation.
Looking for something unique for your project? Just enter a keyword into the box to search for your item on Amazon
Related Pages
Docircuits interactive circuit simulator
Become an Electronics Technician
Convert most anything with this utility
