Conventional Current
Physics: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 4.3.2
Conventional Current
Conventional current flows from the positive end of the battery to the negative end. This is despite current being caused by the flow of electrons from negative to positive (in the other direction).
Old theory
- Before electrons were discovered, scientists thought that electric currents were due to the flow of positive charges.
- They thought that positive charges moved through the circuit from the positive end of a battery to the negative end.
The discovery of electrons
- The discovery of electrons proved that theory wrong.
- Electrons actually flow from the negative end of the battery to the positive end of the battery.
Test yourself on Conventional Current
What direction does conventional current travel in?