Electric current

Electric current
A simple electric circuit, where current is represented by the letter i. The relationship between the voltage (V), resistance (R), and current (i or I) is V=IR; this is known as Ohm's law.
Common symbols
I
SI unitampere
Derivations from
other quantities
Dimension
Articles about
Electromagnetism
Solenoid
Electrostatics
Magnetostatics
Electrodynamics
Electrical network
Magnetic circuit
Covariant formulation
Scientists

An electric current is a flow of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space. It is defined as the net rate of flow of electric charge through a surface.[1]: 2 [2]: 622  The moving particles are called charge carriers, which may be one of several types of particles, depending on the conductor. In electric circuits the charge carriers are often electrons moving through a wire. In semiconductors they can be electrons or holes. In an electrolyte the charge carriers are ions, while in plasma, an ionized gas, they are ions and electrons.[3]

In the International System of Units (SI), electric current is expressed in units of ampere (sometimes called an "amp", symbol A), which is equivalent to one coulomb per second. The ampere is an SI base unit and electric current is a base quantity in the International System of Quantities (ISQ).[4]: 15  Electric current is also known as amperage and is measured using a device called an ammeter.[2]: 788 

Electric currents create magnetic fields, which are used in motors, generators, inductors, and transformers. In ordinary conductors, they cause Joule heating, which creates light in incandescent light bulbs. Time-varying currents emit electromagnetic waves, which are used in telecommunications to broadcast information.

  1. ^ Horowitz, Paul; Hill, Winfield (2015). The art of electronics (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-80926-9.
  2. ^ a b Walker, Jearl; Halliday, David; Resnick, Robert (2014). Fundamentals of physics (10th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 978-1118230732. OCLC 950235056.
  3. ^ Anthony C. Fischer-Cripps (2004). The electronics companion. CRC Press. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-7503-1012-3.
  4. ^ The International System of Units (PDF) (9th ed.), International Bureau of Weights and Measures, Dec 2022, ISBN 978-92-822-2272-0