What is Electric Current?

When electric charges move, that's called current! In most circuits, this movement is accomplished by electrons in a conductor. As it turns out, an electron doesn't need to move very far; it can force other electrons in the conductor to move. In the video, we demonstrate moving electric charges with a tube and some metal balls. We also examine conventional current vs. electron flow and how good ol' Ben Franklin can be blamed for that bit of confusion.

[One.Zero.One]

I've watched about 20 explanations about this and I still couldn't get it. Your analogy and visualizations really help a lot!

[swagmaster-kpxn]

Thank you! I’m trying to teach myself more about circuits and electricity, and this was really helpful!

[darshanchougule]

Nice video and now I can visualize how exactly electrons flow in a close circuit. Thank you SparkFun Electronics channel.

[sharpzon]

you should put all of these educational videos on a playlist because it's pretty hard to search for them individually among all of the other videos in your channel :)

[palak]

Incredible! I paused the video to thank you. Appreciation was overflowing.

[Clearness]

Bruh. this man is a genius. Our teacher recommended this to us and its very helpful. TYSM :D

[psd]

Respected *Shawn Hymel* sir,
I am a student, and literally the way you have teached electricity and electromagnetism is infinite wonderful!❤️ You have given us knowledge in the best way which nobody has ever given to us!
In india, teachers don't teach us correctly, they just make. Us gulp the text written in the book.
I request you teacher Shawn hymel that please try to teach us more physics like that you did in past(electricity, electromagnetism)
I know making more such videos will take a lot of effort! But please try to help,
Please reply teacher🙏🙏🙏👍❤️😁

[hutch]

In my opinion, this is by far the best video I’ve found covering this topic. Thank you very much! 😊

[alandsha]

you saved my life sir > explanation and best way to teach

[noredineofficiel]

Best explanation about electricity i ve ever seen

[cdorman]

1:19 This is a common misconception. The ball-tube model is not how current arises. The wire remains neutral on the inside because electrostatic forces are too strong for it to be otherwise. Instead, the e.m.f. source spreads its excess charge throughout the circuit. This excess charge spreads to the surface of the conducting material of which the circuit is made. A differential in charge density creates the current throughout the circuit. For instructors, you can read a detailed exposition several pages long in Sherwood & Chabay.
Electrons inside the wire aren't affected by surface charges within 3 wire-widths of the electron. There's not enough differential in charge density and not enough tangential component to the electric field acting on the electron. 3-10 wire-widths away is where the electron is getting its motivation from.


Maybe his explanation is fine for fourth grade, but the misconception needs to be unlearned by high school.

[maiaallman]

Very good explanation. I must compliment you on your penmanship.

[ayeshatariq]

Was looking for someone who can teach like this

[bagoquarks]

As indicated in the video, the ball bearings in the tube analogy represent moving CHARGES, not ELECTRONS. It is very easy for the casual viewer to intuitively assume that 1 CHARGE = 1 ELECTRON, which is FALSE. 1 electron CARRIES a CHARGE of -1, not the same thing. A proton, BTW, carries a CHARGE of +1.
Formally, the definition of current is charges moving past a point in the wire, not electrons.

[rafiashraf]

Nice work! Simple explanations helping me understand electricity.

[kashifrao_]

Do electrons not move in AC as they move back and forth means oscillate so their net position remains zero, how does current flow in that case??

[HamzaAli-rqfj]

the question is:
when the charges move from one point to another then what happens??
by which phenomenon does the electric energy created?

[YassineBennour-er]

Very interesting. I want to improve my English, and in my opinion, I think it's very amazing and fun. I'm very cheerful to learn a lot of knowledges about electricity and electronics. Thank you so much

[sherazkhan]

As we know, these are the electrons which flow through the wire, then why don't we call the negative potential as a higher one because it will push the electron to go through the wire ....and the electron will thus give out energy when they move towards the poditive terminal.
Why do we call positive potential high and negative potential low ? Do we always have to take a positive test charge as a reference ?

[fjb]

So do electrons flow from the positive terminal?