What is electrical current?

• A. The flow of electrons in a circuit
• B. Voltage across a component
• C. Resistance to current
• D. Power supplied by the source

Answer: (A)

Electrical current is the rate at which electric charge moves through a conductor. In a typical metal circuit, the charge carriers are electrons, so current reflects the flow of electrons through the wires. The amount of charge passing a point per second defines the current, measured in amperes. Some diagrams use the conventional direction of current (opposite to electron flow), but the magnitude represents how much charge is moving. The other terms describe different concepts: voltage is the push that drives charge, resistance is what opposes that flow, and power is the rate at which energy is transferred. Since current specifically describes the moving charge, the description of current as the flow of electrons in a circuit is the best match.