By nich.alonzo 
When learning about electricity and circuits, one of the first concepts that often causes confusion is the direction in which current flows. There are two main ways to describe this: electron flow and conventional current flow. Both terms refer to the movement of electrical charge in a circuit, but they point in opposite directions due to historical reasons and the nature of subatomic particles.
In this post, we’ll break down the difference between electron flow and conventional current flow, explore why these two concepts exist, and explain how both are still used in modern circuit analysis.
Electron Flow:
Electron flow refers to the actual movement of electrons in a circuit. In most materials, such as metals, electrons are the charge carriers because they are negatively charged and free to move. The direction of electron flow is from the negative terminal of a power source, through the circuit and then to the positive terminal, since electrons are repelled by the negative charge and attracted to the positive charge.
Conventional Current Flow:
Conventional current flow is a historical convention that assumes current flows from the positive terminal, through the circuit and then to the negative terminal of a power source. This convention was established before scientists fully understood the nature of electron flow, so it treats current as the flow of positive charge.
Key Differences:
- Electron flow: from negative to positive (actual movement of electrons).
- Conventional current: from positive to negative (based on early conventions and the assumption of positive charge carriers).
Even though they describe current in opposite directions, both approaches are used in circuit analysis, with conventional current being the more common notation in textbooks and diagrams.