Hello,

Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
other books.

Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
developed, etc?

Thanks

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:15:37 -0700 (PDT), eliben <e...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Hello,
>
>Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
>negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
>other books.
>
>Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
>which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
>developed, etc?

http://amasci.com/miscon/eleca.html#frkel

-- 
Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA

On Jun 20, 7:34=A0am, Rich Webb <bbew...@mapson.nozirev.ten> wrote:

> >Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
> >negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>
> http://amasci.com/miscon/eleca.html#frkel

Is this really what the OP wanted? (Not being argumentative... but it
doesn't really seem to be helpful information, though true).

OP - Amazingly, I cannot find (in a quick Google) a lucid web
explanation of the concept, but what you want to research is "passive
sign convention". All the good references I could find are in printed
books, nothing online seems to be worth reading.

<http://books.google.com/books?id=3D5JI-KELPCpgC&lpg=3DPA39&ots=3Di-
ZiBLSQLS&dq=3Dpassive%20sign%20convention&pg=3DPA39>

"larwe" <z...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:b...@l32g2000vba.googlegroups.com...
On Jun 20, 7:34 am, Rich Webb <bbew...@mapson.nozirev.ten> wrote:

> >Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
> >negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>
> http://amasci.com/miscon/eleca.html#frkel

Is this really what the OP wanted? (Not being argumentative... but it
doesn't really seem to be helpful information, though true).

OP - Amazingly, I cannot find (in a quick Google) a lucid web
explanation of the concept, but what you want to research is "passive
sign convention". All the good references I could find are in printed
books, nothing online seems to be worth reading.

<http://books.google.com/books?id=5JI-KELPCpgC&lpg=PA39&ots=i-
ZiBLSQLS&dq=passive%20sign%20convention&pg=PA39>

I think the OP would do well reading the material provided by Rich.
It gave enough backround for the OP to answer his own question.

Tom

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:49:56 -0700 (PDT), larwe <z...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On Jun 20, 7:34 am, Rich Webb <bbew...@mapson.nozirev.ten> wrote:
>
>> >Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
>> >negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>>
>> http://amasci.com/miscon/eleca.html#frkel
>
>Is this really what the OP wanted? (Not being argumentative... but it
>doesn't really seem to be helpful information, though true).

Well, he does tend to go around the barn and over the fence to get to
the front door.  ;-)

-- 
Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA

"eliben" <e...@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:d...@l8g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
> Hello,
>
> Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
> negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
> implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
> other books.
>
> Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
> which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
> developed, etc?
>
> Thanks

Try Googling "Conventional current". Conventional current is taught as it is 
easier to understand - positive to negative. Flow of electrons is opposite 
to conventional current as they are repelled by the negative terminal and 
attracted by the positive. Kids cannot understand this..

-- 
Bill Naylor
www.electronworks.co.uk
Electronic Kits for Education and Fun 

On Jun 20, 7:15=A0am, eliben <eli...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
> negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
> implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
> other books.
>
> Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
> which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
> developed, etc?
>
> Thanks

http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Passive_sign_convention

"eliben"
>
> Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
> negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
> implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
> other books.
>
> Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
> which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
> developed, etc?
>

**  Search on "conventional current flow":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_current

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_current

Lots more to be found.



.....  Phil

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 04:15:37 -0700 (PDT), eliben <e...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>Hello,
>
>Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
>negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
>other books.
>
>Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
>which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
>developed, etc?
>
>Thanks

The military and some tech schools (Heald, I think) start with
electron flow, and later switch to conventional current. This confuses
the hell out of the students, some of whom never get it right.
Universities (physics, chemistry, engineering) always use conventional
(pos to neg) flow math.

John

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:53:57 -0700 (PDT), gearhead
<n...@billburg.com> wrote:

>On Jun 20, 7:15 am, eliben <eli...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hello,
>>
>> Recently I ran into a book that teaches that current flows from the
>> negative to the positive terminal (i.e. across a resistor). This
>> implies electron flow and is opposed to all examples I've seen in
>> other books.
>>
>> Perhaps someone knows of a resource that discusses this issue? I.e.
>> which way is more correct to teach, how have the current symbolics
>> developed, etc?
>>
>> Thanks
>
>http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Passive_sign_convention


From that page:


Here are some basic ground rules:

    * All resistors are either positive or negative uniformly. Which means that if you consider one resistor to be
positive (which is the common case) then all the resistors are positive.

    * At least one source is the opposite sign of the resistors. If only one is present then that is the one.

    * Always start by making your loop.


This is insane gibberish.

John