When discussing current, the direction of current flow needs to be considered. There are two different theories about this:
• Conventional Flow
• Electron Flow
Conventional Flow: This theory states that electrons flow from positive to negative. Benjamin Franklin theorized this when very little was known about electricity. It states that an invisible fluid known as electricity tended to flow through a wire from the positive to the negative. Ben’s theory became the convention (hence the term “conventional current”) in electrical theory, mathematics, textbooks and electrical equipment for the next hundred years.
FIGURE 2: CONVENTIONAL FLOW
Electron Flow: This theory states that electrons flow from negative to positive. When more was known about the behavior of electrons, scientists discovered that electrons actually flow from negative to positive. Since electrons are negatively charged, it follows that they are attracted by positively charged bodies and repelled by negatively charged bodies.