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Conventional current

From the early discovery of static electricity by the ancient Greeks to the discovery of the light bulb by Benjamin Franklin, electricity has become a constant in our daily lives. We cook with it, charge our cell phones, run our systems and homes with it. So, what exactly is electricity?

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Quite simply put: The presence of an electric charge, being either positive or negative, will produce an electric field. Like with magnetic fields produced by either a North of South pole, like charges will repel one another and unlike charges will attract one another. So, movement of electrons inside a wire, like a copper wire needs to be understood.

Inside a wire?

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Inside the copper there are electrons that will be attracted to the positive side of the wire and repelled from the negative side. The ends of the wire become positive or negative due to a voltage being placed to the ends. The electrons that move is called an electron voltage. Conventional current, which is the current that we use is in the opposite direction. Meaning, conventional current will move from the positive side of the battery to the negative side of the battery.

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