Page 36 - Science Course 3 (Book 2)

Mo9-L2a: What is Electric Current and an Electric Circuit?

Key Concept With direct current, electric charges continually f ow
from the negative side of the source to the positive
What is Electric Current and an Electric Circuit? side. The f ow of electric charges of an alternating
current changes direction many times per second.
How are electric current and electric
charge related?

The Circuit—A Path for Electric Current

An electric circuit is a closed, or complete, path in
which an electric current f ows.

Electrons continually
added to one end of a wire
create a constant one-way
f ow of electrons known
as direct current.

Electric circuits are designed to transform electric
energy to specif c forms.

An electric current that
continually reverses
direction is known as an
alternating current.

All simple circuits contain a source of electric
energy, an electric device, and an electric conductor.

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