Direction of electric current

The idea

In metallic wires electrons carry the charge, but by convention the direction of electric current is the direction of flow of positive charges, opposite to the flow of electrons.

Which way does the current go?

In a torch circuit the electrons in the wires move one way round the loop. People always draw the arrow for the electric current on the same circuit.

How does the current arrow compare with the way the electrons move?

• It points the opposite way
• It points the same way
• It points either way, depending on the person drawing it

Two directions

Press Next step to see how electrons move, the early idea and the rule we follow today.

An old choice that stayed

Electrons are negative, so they move towards the positive end of the cell. The old rule from before electrons were known was kept, so the current is drawn the opposite way.

In metallic wires electrons carry the charge, but by convention the direction of electric current is the direction of flow of positive charges, opposite to the flow of electrons.

Notes

In metallic wires electrons carry the charge, but by convention the current is in the direction of positive charges, opposite to the electrons.

Check yourself

In a wire, electrons move from the negative terminal of a cell towards the positive terminal. What is the direction of the electric current?

Why was electric current first taken to be a flow of positive charges?

Which charges carry the current in a metallic wire?

Electrons are moving anticlockwise round a circuit. Which way is the conventional current?

• From the negative terminal to the positive terminal, the way the electrons go. The direction of current is taken opposite to the flow of electrons.
• From the positive terminal, through the bulb, to the negative terminal — correct. Yes!
• It has no fixed direction in a wire. By convention the current is taken in one fixed direction, opposite to the flow of electrons.
• Because electrons are positive charges. Electrons are negative charges.
• Because positive charges are what move in a metallic wire. In circuits using metallic wires, electrons constitute the flow of charges.
• Electrons were not known when electricity was first observed — correct. Yes!
• Electrons, which are negative charges — correct. Yes!
• Positive charges, because the current is drawn along their direction. The current is drawn in the direction positive charges would flow, but in metallic wires the charge is carried by electrons.
• None, because the charges in the wire stay still. Current is a flow of charge. In a metallic wire, electrons move.
• Anticlockwise. That is the way the electrons move. The conventional current is opposite to that.
• Clockwise — correct. Yes!
• It depends on the kind of bulb. The convention does not depend on the bulb. The current is always taken opposite to the flow of electrons.