Conventional current vs current?

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In summary, conventional current is a concept used in circuits where the direction of positive charge flow is considered to be the direction of current. This is different from the flow of actual electrons, which is called electronic current. This convention was introduced to avoid confusion and the direction of conventional current is taken as the opposite of the flow of negative electrons.
  • #1
jamesfirst
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I was always taught that current was the flow of electrons, a direction which negatively charged particles flow

but now we started to talk about conventional current where the positive particles are flowing..

I'm so confused... what specific positive charge is flowing?? and how come people believe that it's the positive charge that is determined to be the current??
 
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  • #2
jamesfirst said:
I was always taught that current was the flow of electrons, a direction which negatively charged particles flow

but now we started to talk about conventional current where the positive particles are flowing..

I'm so confused... what specific positive charge is flowing?? and how come people believe that it's the positive charge that is determined to be the current??
In conventional wires, it is always the negative electrons which flow. However, it is possible to have a current composed of positively flowing particles. A problem arises since a flow of positive charge in one direction yields the same current as an equal flow of negative charge in the opposite direction. Therefore, the so called conventional current was introduced. so, by convention we always take the direction of current flow as if it is a flow of positive charges. That does not mean, however, that positive charges are actually flowing.

Does that make sense?
 
  • #3
So conventional current and current is basically antonyms to one another ?
 
  • #4
Usually, when talking about circuits, word "current" means conventional current. The word "conventional" is just tacked on so that you wouldn't confuse it with a particle current, which does end up having opposite direction in conductors.
 
  • #5
jamesfirst said:
So conventional current and current is basically antonyms to one another ?
No, they are not. As I said, it is perfectly possible to have a current composed of positive charges. In which case, the direction of conventional current and 'real' current coincide.
 
  • #6
So what about when conventional current flows through metals which has delocalised electrons??

Is it still considered to be the positive charge following ?
 
  • #7
jamesfirst said:
So what about when conventional current flows through metals which has delocalised electrons??

Is it still considered to be the positive charge following ?
In conventional current, yes. The positive charges are consider to be flowing in the opposite direction of the negative charge.
 
  • #8
rate of flow of electron is known as current.direction of current from high potential to low potential is taken as positive direction for the conviniency . so current in this direction is termed as conventional current and the direction of flow of electron is termed as electronic current.
 

What is the difference between conventional current and current?

The main difference between conventional current and current is the direction in which they flow. Conventional current is defined as the direction in which positive charges flow, while current is the direction in which negative charges flow. This is due to the historical convention of considering current to flow from positive to negative, even though electrons actually flow in the opposite direction.

Which direction does conventional current flow?

Conventional current flows in the direction of positive charges, which is opposite to the direction of electron flow. This convention was established before the discovery of the electron and has remained in use to this day.

Why is conventional current still used?

Conventional current is still used because it is a convenient way to describe the direction of current flow in circuits. It also allows for consistency in scientific and engineering calculations and makes it easier to understand and analyze circuits.

How is conventional current related to voltage?

Conventional current is related to voltage through Ohm's Law, which states that the current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage applied across it. In other words, as the voltage increases, the conventional current also increases, and vice versa.

Is conventional current the same as electron flow?

No, conventional current is not the same as electron flow. As mentioned earlier, conventional current is defined as the direction in which positive charges flow, while electron flow is the direction in which negatively charged electrons flow. Conventional current is simply a convention used for convenience in describing the flow of current in circuits.

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