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In my book it states that the ground is the return path to complete the circuit. The ground is attached to the negative terminal of a battery right? Current flows from the negative terminal to the positive terminal but why is a ground called the return path if current flows in the opposite direction? When looking at a schematic the current begins flowing from the ground right?

2007-06-04 20:59:07 · 4 answers · asked by nightmaretrojan 1 in Science & Mathematics Engineering

4 answers

There is an equal case to be made for either direction of current flow, and it comes down to what you like to believe. In the US we declare that DC current flows from negative to positive, but in russia they are adamant that it flows positive to negative. Since the actual electron transfer cannot be observed, either direction of current flow cannot be proved or disproved.

2007-06-04 21:13:29 · answer #1 · answered by gonamok 2 · 0 0

It doesn't matter which direction the current flows. Ground is a return path to whatever electrode is not grounded. In some circuits, the positive battery terminal is grounded; ground is still the return path for the negative electrode.

By convention, current flows from positive to negative, but the electrons in the circuit flow from negative to positive. That is because the electron has a negative charge.

2007-06-04 21:14:22 · answer #2 · answered by gp4rts 7 · 0 0

Current flows from positive terminal to negative terminal. Everything works now, right?

2007-06-04 21:10:35 · answer #3 · answered by ZORCH 6 · 0 0

definite it may matter. The process modern-day won't matter to an consumer-friendly resistor which will show the same I^2R loses (heating effect) in the two course. although, in a vacuum tube the electrons are emitted from the warm filament and can bypass for the period of the administration grid to the plate and modern-day won't be able to be reversed. Semiconductors additionally are designed relative to the pass of electrons. The polarity of electromagnets will matter on the course that electrons struggle via coils of cord. Reversing the pass of electrons will opposite the polarity (surprising hand rule of thumb). In AC circuits modern-day may well be rectified because of the fact electrons can pass purely in one course for the period of the rectifying device.

2016-11-04 23:52:56 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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