ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel The Engineering Mindset Conventional Current v Electron Flow – Electricity explained
When learning about electricity, you might come across two different ideas: conventional current and electron flow. These are two ways of explaining how electricity moves. Let’s dive into these concepts to make them clearer and more interesting!
Back in the day, Benjamin Franklin was one of the first people to experiment with electricity. He noticed that when he rubbed a glass tube with a cloth, it seemed to gather some kind of invisible fluid. If someone touched the tube, they would get a small shock. Today, we know this as static electricity. Franklin thought the tube was collecting too much of this invisible fluid, which he called “positive.” He figured that the person touching the tube had less of this fluid, making them “negative.” Based on this, he concluded that electricity flows from positive to negative, similar to how water flows from a higher place to a lower one.
As a result, when manufacturers started making batteries, they labeled one end as positive and the other as negative. This idea of electricity flowing from positive to negative is what we call conventional current.
As science advanced, a scientist named Joseph Thomson discovered something new. He found out that the invisible thing moving inside wires was actually a tiny particle called an electron. He also discovered that these electrons move in the opposite direction, from negative to positive. Franklin didn’t realize that the cloth was actually taking electrons away from the glass, meaning they were moving from the person to the glass tube.
This new understanding is known as electron flow. In reality, electrons in a circuit travel from the negative end to the positive end, not the other way around. However, this doesn’t change the way we calculate or design electrical systems. The formulas we use in electrical engineering work the same way, regardless of the direction of flow.
Even though we now know that electrons flow from negative to positive, it’s too late to change the labels on all the batteries in the world. So, we continue to use the idea of conventional current. When you’re learning about electricity, designing circuits, or looking at diagrams, it’s important to remember that conventional current is the standard assumption. Engineers and scientists are aware that electrons actually flow in the opposite direction.
Understanding both conventional current and electron flow helps you grasp how electricity works and prepares you for more advanced topics in electrical engineering.
If you’re curious to learn more about electricity and how it powers our world, there are plenty of resources and videos available. Keep exploring, and you’ll discover even more fascinating aspects of electrical engineering!
Use an online circuit simulator to create simple circuits. Experiment with the direction of conventional current and electron flow. Observe how changing the direction affects the circuit’s behavior. This will help you visualize the concepts in action.
Divide into two groups. One group will represent conventional current, and the other will represent electron flow. Prepare arguments for why your concept is important. Engage in a friendly debate to better understand both perspectives.
Recreate Benjamin Franklin’s experiment using a balloon and a wool cloth. Rub the balloon with the cloth and observe the static electricity. Discuss how this relates to conventional current and electron flow, and share your findings with the class.
Organize a scavenger hunt where you find and identify items that use electricity. For each item, determine whether it relies on conventional current or electron flow. Share your discoveries and explain how each item works.
Write a short story or comic strip that explains the journey of an electron through a circuit. Use creative elements to illustrate the differences between conventional current and electron flow. Present your story to the class.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Something that can cause confusion when learning about electricity is the difference between conventional current and electron flow. These are both theories of how electricity works. When Benjamin Franklin first experimented with electricity, he theorized that something must be flowing inside materials. He used a glass tube, and when it was rubbed with a cloth, it seemed to accumulate a strange invisible fluid. When someone else touched the tube, they received a small shock. We now know this as static electricity, but at the time, Franklin assumed that the tube was accumulating an excess of this invisible fluid. He considered this to be positive, while the person touching it must have had less of this fluid, thus being considered negative. He concluded that electricity flows from positive to negative, which made sense because water, as a fluid, flows from a high level to a low level.
Soon, manufacturers began producing batteries based on his work, labeling one end as positive and the other as negative. This naming convention is still in use today and is known as conventional current, as it reflects the conventional theory of how electricity flows.
However, as science evolved and experiments became more precise, Joseph Thomson discovered that the invisible entity moving inside the wire was a particle he named the electron. He also found that these electrons actually flow in the opposite direction, from negative to positive. Franklin did not realize that the silk cloth was removing electrons from the glass, meaning they were flowing from the person to the glass tube.
Thomson’s theory became known as electron flow, as it describes the flow of electrons. In reality, electrons flow in a circuit from the negative to the positive terminal, not the other way around. However, it doesn’t matter what is moving inside the wire or in which direction, because the electrical engineering formulas we use do not take this into account, and they yield the same results. It’s also too late to change the names of the terminals on all the batteries in the world, so this distinction is often overlooked, and we continue to teach and use conventional current.
Some resources may show both concepts, so it’s important to remember that when discussing electricity, designing a circuit, or looking at an electrical circuit diagram, we typically assume conventional current is occurring. Engineers and scientists understand that the electrons are actually flowing in the opposite direction.
That’s it for this video! If you want to continue learning about electricity and electrical engineering, check out one of the videos on screen now. I’ll catch you in the next lesson. Don’t forget to follow us on social media and visit engineeringmindset.com.
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This version maintains the original content’s essence while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Current – The flow of electric charge through a conductor – Example sentence: The current in the wire was measured to ensure the circuit was working correctly.
Flow – The movement of electric charge or energy through a medium – Example sentence: Engineers study the flow of electricity to improve power distribution systems.
Electricity – A form of energy resulting from the existence of charged particles – Example sentence: Electricity powers our homes and is essential for modern technology.
Positive – Having a higher electric potential, often associated with the absence of electrons – Example sentence: In a battery, the positive terminal is where the current exits the battery.
Negative – Having a lower electric potential, often associated with an excess of electrons – Example sentence: Electrons flow towards the positive terminal from the negative terminal in a circuit.
Electrons – Negatively charged particles that move through a conductor to create electricity – Example sentence: Electrons are the primary carriers of electric charge in a circuit.
Circuit – A closed loop through which electric current can flow – Example sentence: The students built a simple circuit to light up a small bulb.
Engineering – The application of scientific and mathematical principles to design and build structures, machines, and systems – Example sentence: Electrical engineering involves designing circuits and systems to safely use electricity.
Static – Electricity that accumulates on an object, often causing a small shock – Example sentence: Static electricity can cause a spark when you touch a metal doorknob after walking on a carpet.
Design – The process of planning and creating a system or structure – Example sentence: The design of the new circuit board was completed using computer software.
