Content Starts Here
conventional current
Encyclopaedia Search
Conventional Current
Direction in which an electric current is considered to flow in a circuit. By convention, the direction is that in which positive-charge carriers would flow – from the positive terminal of a cell to its negative terminal. It is opposite in direction to the flow of electrons. In circuit diagrams, the arrows shown on symbols for components such as diodes and transistors point in the direction of conventional current flow.
In the 19th century, with the early applications of electricity such as starter motors and light bulbs, there was not an exact understanding of the nature of current flow. It was assumed at the time that electricity flowed from the positive terminal to the negative.
© RM 2009. Helicon Publishing is division of RM.
Advertisement starts
Advertisement ends
ammeter
amp
ampere
battery
circuit (physics)
circuit breaker
conductor (chemistry)
conventional current
coulomb
diode
electric bell
electric charge
electric current
electric motor
electric power
electricity
electromotive force
electron flow
energy transfer
insulator
light bulb
light-dependent resistor
ohm
Ohm's law
parallel circuit
potential difference
resistance
resistor
series circuit
static electricity
switch
thermistor
volt
voltage
voltmeter
amp
ampere
battery
circuit (physics)
circuit breaker
conductor (chemistry)
conventional current
coulomb
diode
electric bell
electric charge
electric current
electric motor
electric power
electricity
electromotive force
electron flow
energy transfer
insulator
light bulb
light-dependent resistor
ohm
Ohm's law
parallel circuit
potential difference
resistance
resistor
series circuit
static electricity
switch
thermistor
volt
voltage
voltmeter
Related Links
Singapore Flag
Red and white are traditional colours in South East Asia. Red represents universal fellowship and equality. White stands for purity and virtue. Effective date: 3 December 1959.
>>
Advertorial
Find out how to buy the things you've always wanted and sell the things you don't on ebay.
Advertisement starts
Advertisement ends
Page Footer
Access keys
You will need to use different key combinations in order to use access keys depending on your internet browser, find out which on our accessibility page.
- (0) Navigate to Accessibility page.
- (1) Navigate to Home page.
- (2) Navigate to My email.
- (3) Navigate to My Account.
- (4) Navigate to Site Map page.
- (5) Navigate to Contact us page.
- (6) Navigate to Members channel.
- (7) Navigate to Services channel.
- (8) Navigate to News & Info channel.
- (9) Navigate to Entertainment channel.
- ([) Skip down to the Primary navigation block.
- (]) Skip down to the more links within this section block.
- (=) Bypass all navigation and jump to the content.
- (x) Text only version of this page.
