Re: An Absolute Beginner With A Few Questions



On 2005-12-15, Big Mouth Billy Bass <nannerbac@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> The topics of electron flow and energy flow are a big-assed can of
> worms. Instructors blame Ben Franklin for misunderstanding the
> direction of electron flow, but he actually had a good grasp of how
> electrical energy flowed. (His "kite and key" experiments were
> intended to figure out a way to protect dwellings from burning down
> from lightning strike, and were a real success.)
>

> Thus we have energy flow from positive to negative, whereas actual
> electron flow is from negative to positive. In applied electronics,
> energy flow is more important than electron flow. Here's a heads-up
> for you - when you get to transistor theory and design, they'll throw
> "hole flow" at ya. Yikes!

electrical energy doesn't always flow from positive to negative, else how
would AC appliances operate?

It is traditional to use a positive supply and negative ground in many
designs (especially digital) but as you noted "communications" equipment
(telephone?) uses positive earth.


Bye.
Jasen
.



Relevant Pages

  • Re: Basic Home Electrical Question
    ... >If I pretend the electron flow was water instead of electrons, ... >"water" through the black wires at the rate of 60 cycles per second at ... >ground potential so there's no flow. ... Electricians and circuit designers are interested in current flow. ...
    (alt.home.repair)
  • Re: Is flow of electrons visible?
    ... > Electron flow through a gas is visible only if you get ionization. ... > You can't see into a wire even if ionization were to happen in it, ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Reference direction of electrical current in teaching/books
    ... electron flow, and later switch to conventional current. ... the hell out of the students, some of whom never get it right. ... over the other and it's purely a matter of convention? ... I have never met anyone who uses electron flow ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: about the arrow direction of bulk of pmos and nmos
    ... I would like to confirm with you all if the arrow convetion of the bulk ... the arrow points toward the gate. ... This has nothing to do with electron flow. ...
    (sci.electronics.basics)
  • Re: Alternating current. question
    ... >> direction of energy flow does not. ... Of course a reactive load can ... > net flow of energy is unidirectional for a passive load with any resistance.) ...
    (sci.physics)