Electric Current: Explaining Electron Flow

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies that electric current is defined as flowing from positive to negative, contrary to the actual flow of electrons, which move from negative to positive. This convention originates from Benjamin Franklin's early theories on electricity, where he inaccurately assigned positive and negative charges without understanding electron behavior. Despite the historical inaccuracies, the convention persists for simplicity in communication. The flow of electrons is the true representation of current in electronic devices, while the concept of positive current flow remains a useful abstraction.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic electrical concepts, including charge and current.
  • Familiarity with electron behavior and its role in electricity.
  • Knowledge of Benjamin Franklin's contributions to electrical theory.
  • Awareness of the distinction between conventional current and electron flow.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical context of Benjamin Franklin's single-fluid theory of electricity.
  • Explore the principles of conventional current versus electron flow in electrical circuits.
  • Learn about the role of ions as current carriers in ionic solutions.
  • Investigate how different educational institutions teach current flow concepts.
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, electrical engineers, educators, and anyone interested in the fundamentals of electricity and current flow in electronic devices.

Fizziks_Fan
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Really basic question but... why is an electric current in the opposite direction of the flow of electrons?
Doesn't make much sense to me. :confused:
 
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You can blame it on Benjamin Franklin. About 250 years ago he invented a "single-fluid theory" of electricity. Objects with a surplus of electric fluid were attracted to objects with a deficit of electric fluid so that when they touch they could transfer some electric fluid and even things out. He called these objects "positively charged" and "negatively charged" respectively, and electric fluid flowed from positive to negative.

However, poor old Ben couldn't actually see the electric fluid, so he had to guess which objects were positive and which were negative, i.e. which objects had the surplus or deficit of electric fluid. But he guessed wrong! :frown:

When electrons were discovered, people decided that it was less trouble to think of them as negatively charged, and have them flow from negative to positive, than to start calling positively-charged objects negative, and negatively-charged objects positive, and reversing the direction of electric fluid flow (elecric current) everywhere.
 
It is a convention. You can work with either positive or negative current, it simply does not matter. The Navy taught me negative current flow, other places teach positive current flow, it really does not make any difference...

Other then it simply makes more sense to speak of the flow of electrons as the current.


Yes, I am VERY aware that in ionic solutions positive ions can be the current carrier! Last I checked wires are NOT ionic solutions so that is a red herring when discussing current flow in electronic devices.
 

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