Understanding Ampere's Law: What Does the Current Enclosed Mean?

[JasonBourneV]

Can anyone explain to me what Ampere's Law really is? For example, what does the current encircled really mean? Is it the total current passing through the loop in either direction?

 

[Doc Al]

Imagine a surface bounded by the closed loop. The net current passing through that surface is what you need. The positive direction is defined using the right hand rule in the direction of integration around the loop.