2. DEFENITION
• Electric current is a flow of ELECTRONS. i.e., Charge
• It is a flow of electric charge across a surface at a rate
of 1 Coulomb per second.
• Current flows actually in the opposite direction of
electrons.
3. UNIT
• Current is denoted by the letter I
• SI Unit is AMPERE named after Andre-Marie ampere
• 1 AMPERE=6.24 X 1018 e
4. CALCULATION
• 1 Ampere = 1 Coulomb / Second
Charge on 1 electron = 1.6 x 10-19 Coulomb
• By unitary method,
If 1.6 x 10^-19 Coulomb / Second (Ampere) = Current by 1
electron
then, 1 Coulomb / Second (Ampere) = 1 / (1.6 x 10^-19)
electrons
i.e, 6.24 x 10^18 electrons.
5. CURRENT MEASUREMENT
• Current is measured through the instrument named
AMMETER.
• CURRENT=CHARGE / TIME. i.e. ,Q / T
where
Q - CHARGE
T-TIME
Ancient AMMETER
6. CLASSIFICATION OF CURRENT
The Electric current may be classified into 2 main classes.
(I) Steady Current(DC)
(III) Alternating Current(AC)
7. STEADY CURRENT
When the magnitude of current does not change with
time ,it is called a Steady Current.
The current provided by a battery is almost a steady
current.
8. APPLICATIONS OF STEADY CURRENT
Cell phones
Flash lights
Hybrid and electric vehicles
Etc…
9. ALTERNATING CURRENT
Flow of charges that changes direction periodically
Accomplished by alternating the polarity of the
voltage sources