Electric Current: Learn its Properties, Formula, Types & Effects

Electric current has been a life-changing discovery that made our lives easier and simpler. People have been curious about lightning and its formation from the beginning of time. The ancient Greeks made numerous studies on magnetism and attempted to understand how lightning formed.

The advancement of the usage of current and electricity has been gradual—from Benjamin Franklin’s well-known flying kite experiment to Michael Faraday’s invention of the electric generator in 1831—but regrettably very sporadic and devoid of a clear direction. Information about new technologies spread slowly, particularly across countries and continents. As a result, new innovations had already been found and developed, by the time the news reached others they were already engaged in the same experiments.

In this article, we will discuss everything about electric current, and its properties, types and we also discuss the effects which are caused by the electric current.

Electric Current

Electric current is the movement of electric charges. Prior to the discovery of electrons, it was believed that electric current was the flow of positive charges. However, both the flow of current and the current itself are caused by the movement of negative charges (electrons). Whereas current is flowing from the positive terminal to the negative terminal (higher to lower potential), electrons will flow from the negative end to the positive terminal (lower to higher potential).

Electric Current Formula

Electric charge (q), which falls under fundamental units like mass, length, and so on, can be used to express the electric current. Coulomb is the unit of electric charge; hence Coulomb/sec is the unit of electric current.

Properties of Electric Current

Mentioned below are some properties of electric current:

• An electron flow in the circuit is what causes current.
• In nature, electric current can be divided into two types: AC and DC. DC, or direct current, flows solely in one direction and is utilised in low-voltage applications such as aviation. Alternating current, or AC, travels in both directions. Alternately, AC is indeed the current that enters our homes, and it powers the appliances using electrical power.
• By adding resistance to the circuit, it is possible to regulate the flow of electric current.
• Amperes are used to measure electric current (A). One coulomb of charge can be moved in one second at a rate of one ampere.
• In a circuit, electrical current flows from higher electric potential to lower potential (from the positive terminal to the negative terminal), which is often referred to as the traditional direction of current flow.

Types of Electric Current

All electric current flows fall under one of the categories listed below:

• Direct current (DC).
• Alternating current (AC)

DC: A direct current is one whose strength and direction are constant across time. Free electrons have to go from the negative terminal to the positive terminal in this type of current. Since it was established as a positive charge, the common understanding of the current flow is the contrary.

AC: An electric current known as an alternating current is the one in which the direction of the passage of electrical charge changes over time. The path of the net flow of electrons changes multiple times per second in alternating current.

Effects of Electric Current

Electricity has three main effects:

• Heating effect
• Magnetic effect
• Chemical effect

Heating Effect

Heat is typically produced when current flow is resisted. This is so that electrons can overcome resistance while passing via a wire or resistor. To overcome the Electrical resistance, which is transformed into heat energy, work must be done. It is the basis for all-electric heating devices, including toasters, water heaters, and iron. Even connecting wires provide some minimal current flow resistance. This is the reason why, when utilised in an electric circuit, practically all electrical gadgets and the connected wires feel warm.

The heating effect is given by the equation:

As a conductor produces more heat the longer that current travels through it. The conductor’s electrical resistance and the heat generated increase with resistance i.e. how much current there is the amount of heat produced increases with increasing current. The quantity of heat produced by a tiny current will probably be negligible and may go unnoticed. The generation of appreciable heat is conceivably feasible, though, if the current is greater.

Magnetic Effect

The movement of electrons is all that constitutes an electric current, and as is well known, while charges are resting, they produce an electric field, and when charges are moving, they produce a magnetic field. The presence of a magnetic field produced by the electric current causes the needle to deflect when a metallic sheet is inserted into a wire with electricity flowing through it. Electromagnets, which are created with the aid of electric current, are one of the most common uses of the magnetic effect of electric current. A conductor or wire-carrying current creates a magnetic field that is perpendicular to the direction of the field.

Chemical Effect

A solution ionizes or separates into ions, whenever an electric current flows through it. This is due to the fact that when an electric current flows through the solution, a reaction occurs. The developments and associated effects can be seen in the solution, depending on the type of electrodes used and the composition of the solution.

Electrolysis is the process of conducting an electric current through a solution. The most notable impacts include

• The solution’s colour might alter.
• At the electrodes, metal may be observed to be deposited.
• It’s possible for gas bubbles to form at the electrodes.

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