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electric current
The flow of electrical energy (electricity) in a conductor, measured in amperes.
This entry is located in the following unit: Photovoltaic Conversion Efficiency Terms + (page 8)
electric current
An electric current consists of charged particles moving through a conductor usually consisting of electrons.

The electrons in some atoms; such as, copper and aluminum, are free to move and to jump from one atom to another and such materials are known as conductors.

Other materials; such as, wood, do not contain as many moving electrons, and so they are called insulators and when a material is neither completely a conductor nor an insulator, it is called a semiconductor.

When an electric current moves continuously in one direction, it is called a direct current and when the current fluctuates rapidly back and forth, it is called an alternating current.

Alternating current is used in almost all worldwide household wiring today while direct current is commonly seen in battery-operated devices.

This entry is located in the following unit: Electrical and Electronic Topics (page 1)