In a DC circuit, current flows from which terminal to which?

In a DC circuit, current is conventionally defined to flow from the positive terminal to the negative terminal. This convention is based on historical context dating back to before the discovery of electrons when electricity was thought to flow from positive to negative.

This flow direction aligns with the movement of positive charge carriers; in a theoretical sense, if you imagine a positive charge moving through the circuit, it would travel from the area of higher potential (the positive terminal) towards lower potential (the negative terminal). It's important to note that while in reality, electrons—the actual charge carriers in most conductive materials—flow from negative to positive, the conventional flow used in circuit analysis is still represented as from positive to negative for clarity and consistency.

Understanding this flow direction is essential in analyzing and designing circuits, as it impacts how components are oriented and how current behaves within the circuit.