Which direction do electrons flow in a circuit?
2 Answers
In an electric circuit, electrons flow from the negative terminal (or cathode) of a power source to the positive terminal (or anode). This movement occurs because electrons are negatively charged, and they are attracted to the positive terminal, while being repelled by the negative terminal.
### Key Concepts:
#### 1. **Electron Flow Direction (Actual Direction)**
- **From Negative to Positive**: Electrons naturally flow from a region of higher negative charge (negative terminal) to a region of lower negative charge or positive charge (positive terminal). This is called the **electron flow**.
#### 2. **Conventional Current Direction**
- **From Positive to Negative**: In the early days of electrical study, scientists mistakenly assumed that current flowed from the positive terminal to the negative terminal. This assumption was made before the discovery of electrons and the realization that they carried a negative charge. This direction, called **conventional current flow**, is still used in circuit diagrams and most calculations.
- In essence, conventional current flow is the opposite of the actual electron flow. So, conventional current is considered to flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal, while electrons are moving in the opposite direction.
### Why This Happens:
- Electrons are negatively charged particles, and in an electric field, they are repelled by the negative terminal and attracted toward the positive terminal. In a typical battery or power source, the negative terminal has an excess of electrons, and the positive terminal has a deficit of electrons. When a conductive path (such as a wire) connects the two terminals, the electrons flow to balance the charges, creating an electric current.
### Summary of Flow Directions:
- **Electron Flow**: Negative terminal → Positive terminal.
- **Conventional Current**: Positive terminal → Negative terminal.
While modern science recognizes electron flow as the true direction of current, conventional current is still widely used in textbooks, circuit diagrams, and engineering practices. Both concepts describe the same phenomenon but from different perspectives.
### Key Concepts:
#### 1. **Electron Flow Direction (Actual Direction)**
- **From Negative to Positive**: Electrons naturally flow from a region of higher negative charge (negative terminal) to a region of lower negative charge or positive charge (positive terminal). This is called the **electron flow**.
#### 2. **Conventional Current Direction**
- **From Positive to Negative**: In the early days of electrical study, scientists mistakenly assumed that current flowed from the positive terminal to the negative terminal. This assumption was made before the discovery of electrons and the realization that they carried a negative charge. This direction, called **conventional current flow**, is still used in circuit diagrams and most calculations.
- In essence, conventional current flow is the opposite of the actual electron flow. So, conventional current is considered to flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal, while electrons are moving in the opposite direction.
### Why This Happens:
- Electrons are negatively charged particles, and in an electric field, they are repelled by the negative terminal and attracted toward the positive terminal. In a typical battery or power source, the negative terminal has an excess of electrons, and the positive terminal has a deficit of electrons. When a conductive path (such as a wire) connects the two terminals, the electrons flow to balance the charges, creating an electric current.
### Summary of Flow Directions:
- **Electron Flow**: Negative terminal → Positive terminal.
- **Conventional Current**: Positive terminal → Negative terminal.
While modern science recognizes electron flow as the true direction of current, conventional current is still widely used in textbooks, circuit diagrams, and engineering practices. Both concepts describe the same phenomenon but from different perspectives.