| |
You are here: Experts > Computing/Technology > Job Searching: Technical > Electrical Engineering > conventional current flow
Expert: cleggsan - 11/8/2009
Question
What is the direction of the conventioanl current flow inside a battery??
Answer
Who knows? There are so many theories and conventions for circuit analysis that it is hard to say. But, from a physics point of view, read this dissertation:
http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/amateur/elecdir.html
Current flow, in my opinion, in conductive wires with very low resistance, such as copper, is from positive to negative. It is not electron flow in the wire but the positive hole where the electron just left. It has been shown that the actual migration of electrons on the wire is quite slow whereas the current flow (of charge holes) is a the speed of light - or very near unto it.
In the battery, in order to complete a circuit the current must flow through it in like manner. But electrolyte and other chemicals that are employed in batteries have chemical processes going on that are quite different from metallic conductors. And, most probably the current is in both directions with the current of the circuit dictating the net result. So, if the external circuit has current flowing from positive to negative then the current in the battery is flowing the same direction, that is from the negative terminal through the battery to the positive terminal and out.
Most electrical engineering text books use positive current flow conventions. Most non-technical and lower class trade school text books use the electron flow convention with electron current going from the negative terminal to the positive.
Hope this is not confusing..... It is to most people.
Thanks for the question.
Add to this Answer Ask a Question
|
|
