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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Which way does current flow in a circuit?
Which way does current flow in a circuit?
2008-09-05, 8:05 PM #1
From Positive to Negative, or from Negative to Positive.

Please don't offer any hints or google.
2008-09-05, 8:37 PM #2
Originally posted by Rob:

Please don't offer any hints or google.


I read it, I just didn't care to follow it.

It goes negative to positive in a wire, because the electrons are moving.
2008-09-05, 8:39 PM #3
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
2008-09-05, 8:58 PM #4
It's really not that hard, just think about lightning.
2008-09-05, 9:06 PM #5
It'll be great if Rob gets it wrong.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-05, 9:07 PM #6
happydud has come from the internet, directly to Emon's keyboard.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-05, 9:07 PM #7
Also current doesn't flow, charge does.

Rob's dumb.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-05, 9:14 PM #8
Originally posted by Rob:
From Positive to Negative, or from Negative to Positive.

Please don't offer any hints or google.


No google? Might as well tell me to ****in stop breathing.

I don't need to know things because google does.
"it is time to get a credit card to complete my financial independance" — Tibby, Aug. 2009
2008-09-05, 9:20 PM #9
Originally posted by Emon:
Also current doesn't flow, charge does.

Rob's dumb.


Um, yes it does. Learn how English works. Current = flow of charge.

Also, this is pretty stupid. It flows from positive to negative, but standard convention takes voltage rises to be from negative to positive. But when using Kirchhoff's laws, we take voltage rises to be negative. I think :psyduck:

I'm pretty sure I got the signs right on my Network Analysis quiz the mourning, but it was luck. My stupid Physics prof. didn't go over Kirchhoff's laws at all hardly.
2008-09-05, 9:23 PM #10
Quote:
Current = flow of charge


So the flow of charge is flowing? The flow, itself, as an entity, flows? Flowing flows? Flowing of flowing? Flow^2?

Current can't flow. Current is flow.
2008-09-05, 9:26 PM #11
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
Um, yes it does. Learn how English works. Current = flow of charge.

Current = flow of charge. Current does not flow, charge flows.

You learn how English works.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-05, 9:36 PM #12
Originally posted by Latis:
It's really not that hard, just think about lightning.

expect that you get both forms of lightning charge, it is just that one is far rarer (at least for ground strikes), and also FAR more powerful.

Not saying which is which at the risk of spoilers.

Also, electrons dont flow.
Snail racing: (500 posts per line)------@%
2008-09-05, 9:46 PM #13
Conventional current has a flow of electric charge in the direction opposite the flow of negative charge / motion of electrons, making it go from positive to negative.
一个大西瓜
2008-09-05, 9:46 PM #14
Originally posted by Emon:
Current = flow of charge. Current does not flow, charge flows.

You learn how English works.


Ever heard phrases like "The currents is flowing very fast." "Traffic is slow." ect.? You're nitpicking. That's how professors use the word, it's how everyone else uses the word in every context. We have an idiomatic language. You're just being an ***.

Also, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/current

Quote:
something that flows


Originally posted by alpha1:
expect that you get both forms of lightning charge, it is just that one is far rarer (at least for ground strikes), and also FAR more powerful.

Not saying which is which at the risk of spoilers.

Also, electrons dont flow.


Yes they do, although it's more of a ripple effect. It works out the same way. They are at least moving, but don't they don't go around the circuit.
2008-09-05, 9:55 PM #15
Like Free, I use the Internets as an extension of my brain. So I pretty much just guessed on this.
If you think the waiters are rude, you should see the manager.
2008-09-05, 10:13 PM #16
I tried to flow once but it positivly charged my brain in a negative way.
The ripple effect was incredible, my memory is not what is use to be but I believe the entire earth was destroyed.
On a Swedish chainsaw: "Do not attempt to stop chain with your hands or genitals."
2008-09-05, 10:18 PM #17
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
Ever heard phrases like "The currents is flowing very fast." "Traffic is slow." ect.? You're nitpicking. That's how professors use the word, it's how everyone else uses the word in every context. We have an idiomatic language. You're just being an ***.

Also, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/current





Yes they do, although it's more of a ripple effect. It works out the same way. They are at least moving, but don't they don't go around the circuit.


no, you say "The current is strong"

o.0
2008-09-06, 12:26 AM #18
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
You're nitpicking. That's how professors use the word, it's how everyone else uses the word in every context. We have an idiomatic language. You're just being an ***.

The electrical definition of current is not the same as the colloquial one. Professors use it that way and they are wrong.

Why are you even taking offense by this? My point was to make Rob look stupid. Go away.

Also the electrons don't move.
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-06, 12:41 AM #19
Unlike the electrons, the current flows from anode to cathode (on paper, in reality, it's opposite), but the electrons flow from cathode to anode.
Last edited by mb; today at 10:55 AM.
2008-09-06, 12:41 AM #20
Originally posted by Emon:
Also the electrons don't move.

Oh, but they do :v:
Last edited by mb; today at 10:55 AM.
2008-09-06, 12:48 AM #21
Originally posted by Obi_Kwiet:
Yes they do, although it's more of a ripple effect. It works out the same way. They are at least moving, but don't they don't go around the circuit.


That is also a thing that depends on wether we are talking about alternating or direct current.
Last edited by mb; today at 10:55 AM.
2008-09-06, 12:51 AM #22
hurf
2008-09-06, 12:53 AM #23
Originally posted by CaveDemon:
Oh, but they do :v:

:carl:
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2008-09-06, 1:36 AM #24
Originally posted by Emon:
:carl:


Exactly, i don't see your logic. Why wouldn't they move?
Last edited by mb; today at 10:55 AM.
2008-09-06, 2:21 AM #25
Originally posted by Jon`C:
hurf

This is quite possibly the best post I've seen from Jon`C.
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2008-09-06, 3:09 AM #26
It's been longtime, but I remember it going from - to +
2008-09-06, 3:28 AM #27
Originally posted by Martyn:
It's been longtime, but I remember it going from - to +


Yes, it does. The old belief was that it goes from anode to cathode, and that is how it still is taught, but in reality the electrons move from cathode to anode. That is also taught, though.
Last edited by mb; today at 10:55 AM.
2008-09-06, 3:35 AM #28
I could start talking about electron-hole pairs but I won't as that will just complicate (what is a rather simple question) even further :D
People of our generation should not be subjected to mornings.

Rbots
2008-09-06, 4:23 AM #29
The reason I posted this thread was in the last two weeks we started going over electricity in school

When we got to the differences between Conventional theory (which started with a history lesson and Electron theory minds were blown. Kentucky jokes go here.

Anyways, I learned the difference in 9th grade science class, and was shocked (pun) to learn that so many people had never heard this.
2008-09-06, 5:35 AM #30
Yeah, if I remember correctly at comprehensive school (11 to 16) we were taught that current flows out of the +ode and into the -ode. In 6th from (16 to 18) they told us in physics that the electrons go the other way, but seeing as how they're -ve people just say that positive current goes from + to -.

I think.

I was taught that in 1999. That seems like quite a long time ago now. :s
2008-09-06, 6:01 AM #31
Originally posted by poley:
I could start talking about electron-hole pairs but I won't as that will just complicate (what is a rather simple question) even further :D

Considering I understand the basics of that from standard grade physics, I'm sure even imsoshort could grasp it.
nope.
2008-09-06, 8:56 AM #32
Originally posted by Emon:
The electrical definition of current is not the same as the colloquial one. Professors use it that way and they are wrong.

Why are you even taking offense by this? My point was to make Rob look stupid. Go away.

Also the electrons don't move.



It's just excessively nitpicky, and I don't think you can make a case for it.

To be honest though, I'm just being unashamedly hypocritical. :awesomelon:
2008-09-06, 9:02 AM #33
Originally posted by CaveDemon:
...we are talking about alternating... current.


ALL HAIL TESLA! :tinfoil:
Welcome to the douchebag club. We'd give you some cookies, but some douche ate all of them. -Rob
2008-09-06, 9:05 AM #34
The direction that current flows is dependent on the material that the circuit is made of. General it flows from negative to positive, but in the case of some semi-conductors it actually flows from positive to negative.

So both answers are right :D
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2008-09-07, 2:42 PM #35
From left to right. Geeze.
Also, I can kill you with my brain.

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