Which statement best describes the direction of current flow in a circuit?

Which statement best describes the direction of current flow in a circuit?

• A. It is determined by the polarity flowing from positive to negative
• B. It flows from negative to positive
• C. It is always equal to the direction of electrons
• D. It depends on the load resistance

Answer: (A)

Conventional current is defined as the flow of positive charge from the higher potential to the lower potential. In a DC circuit, this means current leaves the positive terminal of the source, travels through the circuit, and returns to the negative terminal. The actual electrons move in the opposite direction, from negative to positive, but the established convention for current is the positive-to-negative direction. So the statement that current flow is determined by the polarity flowing from positive to negative is the best description. The load resistance affects how much current flows (magnitude) via Ohm’s law, not the direction; electron flow being opposite is why one option describes a different perspective, and current direction isn’t defined by resistance.

Conventional current is defined as the flow of positive charge from the higher potential to the lower potential. In a DC circuit, this means current leaves the positive terminal of the source, travels through the circuit, and returns to the negative terminal. The actual electrons move in the opposite direction, from negative to positive, but the established convention for current is the positive-to-negative direction. So the statement that current flow is determined by the polarity flowing from positive to negative is the best description. The load resistance affects how much current flows (magnitude) via Ohm’s law, not the direction; electron flow being opposite is why one option describes a different perspective, and current direction isn’t defined by resistance.