Question

What is conventional current and electric current?

Answer 1

Hint: To understand the terms conventional current and electric current, first of all get an idea of the words current, terminal, positive terminal, negative terminal etc. Then you can understand conventional current and electric current.

Complete step by step solution:

Conventional current:
Generally, electrons flow from negative end or terminal to positive end or terminal. The definition of conventional current can be said as charge per unit time transported in a certain direction. The flow of conventional current is from positive terminal to the negative terminal. The behaviour is like positive charge carriers will cause the current to flow. It can be assumed as a flow of protons in the opposite direction instead of flow of electrons.

Electric current:
The rate of flow of electric charge is called the electric current. The charge carriers are electrons. The direction of current in most of the circuits is considered as the direction of the positive charge flow. Electric current is denoted by “$$i$$”. Generally, there are two types of current. One is direct current and the other alternating current. Direct current flows only in one direction whereas alternating current may reverse its direction, it does not flow in one particular direction.

Note: We all know that current is the flow of charges. The main difference between the conventional current and electric current is the direction of flow of charges changes. In conventional current it is from positive to negative terminal whereas it is negative to positive terminal in electric current.