The Conventional Current (Electricity, Physics)

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In an electrical circuit, the current is always represented flowing from the positive terminal of a battery to the negative terminal. At the same time, you have learned that electricity in a circuit consists in the motion of negative charge carriers, electrons, flowing from the negative pole to the positive pole. This can be quite confusing for students!

Fundamentally the correct model is that of the electron flow, however, practically, it is consensual to say that a current is a flow of positive charges: this current is called the conventional current. Why do we do that? and why it is OK to do so? This video will answer these two questions.

First, we’ll look at the why. The reasons are historical. So, for the first time, I invite you for a time travel, through some of the history of discovery of electricity. This will make you understand why we use the conventional current model instead of the more accurate electron flow model.

Then, we’ll check that considering a conventional current when studying an electric circuit produces an equivalent impact on the relative charge displacement in the circuit. And we'll also see that does not impact calculation related to the energy conversion that the circuit provides.

I hope these 12 minutes will lift any confusion and allow you to enjoy more your study of electrical sciences!

#electricity #physics #electriccurrent
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Structure of the video:
00:00 Electron flow vs. conventional current (Introduction)
00:54 Content of the video « The Conventional Current »
01:08 Benjamin Franklin – The birth of the electrical current
03:10 Joseph John Thomson – The discovery of the electron
05:01 The birth of the conventional current
06:15 Conventional current model – why it is OK to use it (context: motion of charges)
07:39 Conventional current model – why it is OK to use it (context: transfer of energy)
10:06 The arbitrary choice of the sign of the charge of the electron (alt-history)
10:51 Electron flow model vs. conventional current model – which to choose (Conclusion)

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Link to Benjamin Franklin’s book :
Experiments and Observations on Electricity (Published in 1751)
(public domain = it’s free)

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Prior knowledge required
In order to fully grasp the content of this video, the viewer needs to be familiar with the following concepts already presented in a PME video.

It would also be useful to know:

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Credits :
The script, the illustrations, the music and the video were produced and presented by Edouard Reny, Ph.D. in solid state chemistry and private tutor in Physical Sciences.

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Need help with your high school physics ?:
Комментарии
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Excellent summary and a really essential video; so many physics students are confused by this and so many electricians still insist that positive charges do flow!

dominicestebanrice
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Wow, this channel deserves to have millions of subs, it's the best in explaining physics that I've ever seen.

rolovolo
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No one has ever made me understood the difference between conventional current vs the electron flow as you have done to me sir❤. Finally I understood this concept today. Thank you very much sir, love and blessings from India😊❤. Your channel is very underrated sir, you deserve million, million subscribers🎉🎉

MenamPatir
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@7:40 I like to think of it as positive ions moving one way vs. negative particles. Today however, even saying negative “particle” may be a problem since physicists can’t seem to make up their mind if the electron is a particle or a wave. Some say both and I know of one who insists it’s a wave only.

robertbatista
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Thank you so much sir
You actually deserve a lot more subscribers and views. I encourage you to keep posting more videos because it helps a lot ❤😊

mymoonabanu
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Now the question I’ve been itching to ask all the YouTubers that have presented the JJ Thomson experiment … staring right at you in the diagram are positive and negative designations, how did anyone know what to call the connections of batteries and plates as positive and negative since the negative still hadn’t been discovered?

robertbatista
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have sifted n seen many but "BY FAR" this one went straight into the nucleus whereas the others are explaining complex circuits without even orbiting around the real deal - some like me are just stuck with the question if charge is negative then how come it's flowing from positive to negative, if these great souls of science who discovered things themselves fumbled and assumed things which were otherwise, think of us. I've come across views expressed by graduates and masters in electrical or electronics, saying that they have never know that what they are assuming is actually for "convenience" and in reality the picture is the converse.

alk-rm
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Thank you very much, I want to know that for ages!

LukePoon
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Would like to see a video of the energy flow of the universe. The continual flow from high to low. And why we don't see any heat death.

tonyclough
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8:55 i can't understand about what does the 'negative P.d' indicate

khushalkishorekhandei
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But how could positive charge or posite charged ions move
I have read that flow of charge is only by electrons or by ions when dissolved in aqueos sloution (electrolyte)

But in wire flow of ions or positive chrges is impossible
Could u plx clearify ??

XYLOXAR
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ANOTHER INSPIRING VIDEO!!
Thanks much,
--dALE

dalenassar
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That’s why electricity is so hard to comprehend also the loss from potential creates magnetism force in motion which you call you call potential everything is backwards and Thompson didn’t say an electron was a particle but one unit of the dielectric

johnnypassion
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For me, it depends on your definition of current. Some people define current as a flow of charge, others as a flow of electrons. If you interpret current as a flow of charge, then conventional current flow (flow of positively charged particles) could be defined as correct. However, electron flow (flow of negatively charged particles) could also be correct. If you define current as a flow of electrons, then conventional current is nonsense.

For me, current flow is electron flow, therefore conventional current flow is bullshit - but I don't imagine this argument will ever be completely settled. Conventional current flow is (sadly IMHO) too well established and most, if not all, of its proponents seem very resistant to change.

karlg
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It was helpful.... I've a question when we connect a circuit to a galvanometer to check the direction of current. Does the galvanometer shows conventional current or electronic current?

thebetteryou
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My dream is to communicate with you doctor and ask you many questions

HassantlaisHassan-nzts
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So Diode manufacturers tell us the poles reversed for use with the conventional current?

capofigo
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Will you please explain what exactly of electric potential
and difference b/w electric potential and electric potential difference
And one more topic displacement current

vaidahigarg
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I don't think we understand it yet.

elektronkim
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Hello.. Can you put the Arabic translation? I am very interested, please and thank you ❤

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