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How does potential difference make an electric current flow and what is the direction of that current?
TariqJamal
Potential difference, voltage, is a force that will cause electrons (negative charges) to move if they can. Voltage is the motive power behind electron flow, and electron flow is the current. In a battery, we have voltage between (or across) the terminals from chemical energy inside. We don't have to have current flow to have the voltage. Some might think of voltage as "electrical pressure" because it is a force. That isn't a bad way to look at it. If we connect some wires and put a light bulb and a switch in series across the terminals of the battery, we have a circuit. If we close the switch, voltage, which was present all the time, will now cause electrons to flow through the wire and light the bulb. The battery has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The positive terminal will take in electrons and the negative terminal will send them out. Current flows in only one direction. The potential difference created by the battery has energized the circuit and current flowed from the negative terminal of the battery, out through the circuit, and back to the positive one.
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What determines the direction of electric field?
The potential difference. The electrons flows from a lower potential to a higher potential. The electric current flows in the opposite direction. The electric field's direction is always from a higher potential to a lower potential. Its kind of like a waterfall. The water always falls down not up. It goes from a higher potential to a lower potential.
What direction does direct current flow in?
Curren flow from high potential to low potential or simply, positive pole to negetive pole.
How can you measure electric potential and electric current?
Potential . . .Always measured as a potential difference between two points.The most practical way to do that is with a voltemeter connectedin parallel with any circuit between the two points.Electric current . . .The most practical way to measure current is with an ammeter connectedin series in the path of the current.
How come birds on electric wires dont get electrocuted?
For an electric current to pass through the bird's body, there must be a potential difference (voltage) across its legs. But its legs are connected to a very good conductor which means that the bird's legs must be at the same potential -no potential difference, no shock!
Does polarity reverse in both wire in an ac circuit?
If you use 'polarity' in the sense of electric charge, no, it does not. Voltage is simply another word for potential difference and potential difference doesn't have an electric charge. Potential, on the other hand does, but its charge polarity depends on from where it is being measured. If you use 'polarity' in the sense of direction, then, yes, it does. You can allocate direction to a voltage.
How does the increase or decrease of potential difference affect the flow of the electric current?
Increase or decrease in potential results in the change in direction of the flow of electric current.
What is the difference between electron flow direction and electric current flow direction?
the electrons flow from the region of low potential to region of high potential. the electric current also flow in this direction but for convention we took it as the flow of positive charge from region of low to high region potential.
What determines the direction of Electric?
The potential difference. The electrons flows from a lower potential to a higher potential. The electric current flows in the opposite direction. The electric field's direction is always from a higher potential to a lower potential. Its kind of like a waterfall. The water always falls down not up. It goes from a higher potential to a lower potential.
What enables the electric current to move through a material?
The electric current moves in the direction opposite to the flow of electrons by convention.When a potential difference is applied to a material which has "loose" electrons, the electrons move in a direction opposite to the potential gradient and the current moves in the opposite direction to the flow of electrons.This is how current flows in materials.
What determines the direction of electric field?
The potential difference. The electrons flows from a lower potential to a higher potential. The electric current flows in the opposite direction. The electric field's direction is always from a higher potential to a lower potential. Its kind of like a waterfall. The water always falls down not up. It goes from a higher potential to a lower potential.
Which phenomenon generates electric current?
A potential difference (electromotive force) does.
What is difference between current and electricfield?
the direction of current is the direction of electrons move. the dirction of electric field can be negative to positive
What direction does direct current flow in?
Curren flow from high potential to low potential or simply, positive pole to negetive pole.
What is the relationship between potential difference and direction of flow of current in an electric circuit?
Electric current always flows from high potential to low potential. This creates the flow of electric current in an electric circuit.AnswerIn a metal conductor, current is defined as a drift of free electrons. As electrons are negatively charged, this means that current drifts along a conductor from a negative potential to a positive potential.However....Current direction is often defined as a drift from a positive potential to a negative potential. This is termed 'conventional flow', and dates back to when scientists, such as Benjamin Franklin, believed that current was some sort of fluid that flowed from a higher pressure ('positive' pressure) to a lower pressure ('negative' pressure). Although incorrect, conventional flow is still widely-used today in many textbooks.
Why electric charge is a scaler quantity?
Current is a scalar if it is given as a scalar - such as 5A. There is no direction connected with this. If it is referenced to a voltage - 5A at 30 degrees lagging the voltage - then it is a vector quantity.
Is it true for an electric current to flow only if two objects have a different charge?
Only if there is a potential difference between two points, does the charge move specifically in a direction.
What is the electric potential when the electric field is zero?
any gadget won't work, as no current would be able to pass due to lack of electric potential difference
