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We all know that, in metal conductors (but not in other conducting media), free electrons slowly drift from the negative end of the conductor to the positive (or 'less negative') end of the conductor. But before anyone knew about atoms, an electric current was thought to be the flow of some sort of 'fluid' from a higher pressure (i.e. positive pressure) to a lower pressure (i.e. a negative pressure) -as suggested by Benjamin Franklin. This error was reinforced by Michael Faraday as a result from his experiments in electrolysis.

So 'electron flow' (- to +) describes what is actuallyhappening in a metal conductor, whereas 'conventional flow' (+ to -) is, to put it simply, an error!

Unfortunately, because so many 'rules' that relate current direction to the direction of magnetic fields and electric fields were based on conventional flow, many textbooks have found it convenient to stick with conventional flow.

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Give atleast 6 to 7 differences between conventional current and electric current?

can't as there is only one: they are in opposite directions. conventional current flow was defined arbitrarily before the discovery of electrons to permit mathematical analysis of circuits. electron current flow was defined after the discovery of electrons.


Is conventional current noun?

The term 'conventional current' is a singular, common, compound noun; a word for current flowing from positive to negative as opposed to electron flow where current flow is from negative to positive.


What is the direction of current due to flow of electrons if it is not conventional current?

The direction of current due to flow of electrons is opposite to the direction of conventional current. This is because electrons have a negative charge, so when they flow in a wire, they are actually moving in the opposite direction to the current flow defined by convention.


The opposite direction of conventional current?

It doesn't always do so, but it does, in the case of an electron current."Conventional current" is, by definition, the equivalent of a flow of positive electric charge. So, if a current consists of positive carriers (e.g., holes, or positive ions), the conventional current flows in the same direction as the current carriers. On the other hand, if the current consists of negative carriers (like electrons - the most common carrier for electric current), the electrons flow in one direction, but the conventional (positive, fictitious you might say) current flows in the other direction.On a macroscopic scale, it is often useful to forget about the actual current carriers; for example, an electron current flowing to the left, and a current of positive ions flowing to the right, will have the same effect on a magnetic field.It doesn't always do so, but it does, in the case of an electron current."Conventional current" is, by definition, the equivalent of a flow of positive electric charge. So, if a current consists of positive carriers (e.g., holes, or positive ions), the conventional current flows in the same direction as the current carriers. On the other hand, if the current consists of negative carriers (like electrons - the most common carrier for electric current), the electrons flow in one direction, but the conventional (positive, fictitious you might say) current flows in the other direction.On a macroscopic scale, it is often useful to forget about the actual current carriers; for example, an electron current flowing to the left, and a current of positive ions flowing to the right, will have the same effect on a magnetic field.It doesn't always do so, but it does, in the case of an electron current."Conventional current" is, by definition, the equivalent of a flow of positive electric charge. So, if a current consists of positive carriers (e.g., holes, or positive ions), the conventional current flows in the same direction as the current carriers. On the other hand, if the current consists of negative carriers (like electrons - the most common carrier for electric current), the electrons flow in one direction, but the conventional (positive, fictitious you might say) current flows in the other direction.On a macroscopic scale, it is often useful to forget about the actual current carriers; for example, an electron current flowing to the left, and a current of positive ions flowing to the right, will have the same effect on a magnetic field.It doesn't always do so, but it does, in the case of an electron current."Conventional current" is, by definition, the equivalent of a flow of positive electric charge. So, if a current consists of positive carriers (e.g., holes, or positive ions), the conventional current flows in the same direction as the current carriers. On the other hand, if the current consists of negative carriers (like electrons - the most common carrier for electric current), the electrons flow in one direction, but the conventional (positive, fictitious you might say) current flows in the other direction.On a macroscopic scale, it is often useful to forget about the actual current carriers; for example, an electron current flowing to the left, and a current of positive ions flowing to the right, will have the same effect on a magnetic field.


Electron current flow theory considers electricity to be the flow of charge carries which are what in polarity?

When we consider electron flow, we think of moving electrons. The electron has a negative charge. This model of current flow, the electron current flow model, follows the movement of those negative charges.As a contrast, we might consider what is called conventional current flow. And that the model of current involves the movement of charges with a positive polarity.

Related Questions

What is the difference between electronic current and conventional current?

Difference between conventional current and electric current? • Electric current can be either negative or positive, but conventional current is always positive.• The conventional current for an electron flow is positive, whereas the electrical current is negative.• For a flow of positive charges, both the electric current and the conventional current are the same.• Since almost every electrical circuit uses an electron flow, it can be safely stated that the conventional current = - electrical current.• In conventional current, the flow of electrons is assumed as a flow of protons on the opposite direction.


Difference between electron flow and conventional current?

Conventional current flow refers to a flow of positive charges. It is a kind of ficticious current. If - as is often the case - the real current is an electron flow (negative charges), then the conventional flow is a current in the opposite direction as the electron movements, since this would have the same effect (for example on the magnetic field, or on conservation of charge).


What is the difference between conventional current and electric current?

Conventional current is the flow of positive charge from higher potential to lower potential, while electric current is the flow of electrons from lower potential to higher potential.


Why emitter current flows away from base in NPN transistor?

arrows are shown for conventional current, not electron current.


What is the agreement with regard to the direction of the conventional current flow?

Electron flow is considered to be negative to positive whereas conventional current flow is considered to be positive to negative.


Why do you analyze electric circuit on the basis of the conventional current?

You can analyze it by either conventional or electron current, other than the sign they give the same answers. However it is convention to use conventional current, that is the way others will expect to see it done. That is also why it is called conventional current, it is the convention.


What is a conventional current?

Conventional current shows current flow from + to - amp meters are labeled this way (conventional current flow) (hole flow) Physics shows that electrons are moving or flowing from - to + (electron flow) Tubes (deforest valves) sort of blew conventional current away semiconductors with different doping materials confuse it more so most new books relate to electron flow voltmeters ammeters are labeled the same since the 18th century


Does current flow into or out of the base of a PNP transistor for proper operation?

That depends on whether you are considering conventional current or electron current.


Give atleast 6 to 7 differences between conventional current and electric current?

can't as there is only one: they are in opposite directions. conventional current flow was defined arbitrarily before the discovery of electrons to permit mathematical analysis of circuits. electron current flow was defined after the discovery of electrons.


What is the direction of current in electronic circuits?

Using conventional current flow from positive to negative. Using electron flow from negative to positive. Most electronic schematics are still drawn in conventional current flow.


Do the electrons flow in conventional current?

A conventional current is a fictitious current - a flow of positive charges. If the real current consists of electrons, the conventional current flows in the opposite direction as the electron movement. The real current may also consist of other charged particles, for example positive or negative ions in a solution.


What is the difference between the traditional and electron flow theories of electricity?

The traditional flow theory assumes that current flows from positive to negative, following the direction of conventional current. In contrast, the electron flow theory states that electrons actually move from negative to positive, which is the direction real current flows in a circuit. Both theories describe the movement of charge in a circuit, but they differ in which terminal they consider as the starting point.