Current electricity:

The existence of an electric field in a conductor produces a current in the conductor. Current is a
flow of charge, measured by the rate at which positive charge passes through any specified
cross-sectional area. Current is a scalar quantity denoted by the symbol I. A conventional
current flows from a positive terminal to a negative terminal, i.e. in the same direction as the
field.
In metals, the current comprises electrons which move in the field in the direction opposite to
the conventional current. We will be concerned mainly with metallic conductors.
In solution, the current comprises cations (positive ions) flowing in the direction of the field and
anions (negative ions) flowing in the opposite direction.
Gases at low pressures can also conduct an electric current comprising both ions and electrons.

Direct current:
A current which is set up in response to a constant field is called a direct current. This is
produced by all electrochemical cells.

Alternating current:
If the field across the conductor changes in a periodic fashion, as shown in the diagram below,
then an alternating current is set up in which the electrons accelerate first in one direction then
slow down, stop and then accelerate in the other direction, slow down and stop and then repeat
this cycle:

The domestic current in South Africa

The magnetic field produced by a conductor:

When a current flows through a conductor, it produces a
magnetic field:

The direction of the current in the conductor is indicated by the symbols

indicates a current coming into the screen, while
screen.

and

indicates a current moving out of the

The magnetic field is represented by lines of flux which are closer together in regions of higher
field. A small permanent magnet suspended in the field would align tangentially to the flux lines at
any point.
(The arrows which are shown in the diagrams of the flux lines above indicate the direction in
which the north-seeking pole of such a magnet would point, i.e. from N to S).

The right hand rule:

If you grasp a long current-carrying wire with your right hand, holding your thumb extended in the
direction of the current, then your fingers would curl round the wire in the direction of the
magnetic field.

The force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field:

When a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, there is an interaction between
the magnetic field produced by the current and the permanent field, which leads to a force being
experienced by the conductor:

The magnitude of the force on the conductor depends on the magnitude of the
current which it carries. The force is a maximum when the current flows
perpendicular to the field (as shown in diagram A on the left below), and it is zero
when it flows parallel to the field (as in diagram B, on the right):

The greater the length of the conductor perpendicular to the magnetic field, the greater the force
on it.
The direction of the force is defined by the diagram on the right, where the axes are at right
angles to each other.
(F = force, B = magnetic field, and I = current).

Most people find it easy to remember this diagram

by applying FLEMING'S LEFT HAND MOTOR
RULE:
If you point your left forefinger in the direction of the
magnetic field, and your second finger in the
direction of the current flow, then your thumb will
point naturally in the direction of the resulting force!

The force between parallel current-carrying conductors:

If currents pass along two parallel wires, each wire will set up a magnetic field and the fields will
interact according to the rules described in the previous topic.
Two parallel conductors which each carry a current in the same direction will attract one
another, while two such conductors which carry currents in an opposite direction will repel each
other: (Explanation)

We need to be able to calculate the force between two conductors carrying different currents.
Consider two wires which are at a distance d apart, parallel to one another
for a length l, and carrying currents I1 and I2 respectively.
The force is proportional to the currents I1 and I2 and the length l, and
inversely proportional to d.Thus

I1 and I2 are measured in ampere (A), l and d are measured in metres (m) and F is measured in
newton (N). k has the value of 2 x 10-7 N.A-2.

Definition of the ampere:

Having established the relationship between the currents flowing in two parallel conductors and
the force acting between them, it is possible to define the ampere in terms of other physical
quantities:
"The ampere is the constant current which, if maintained in two parallel conductors of infinite
length, of negligible cross-section, and placed one metre apart in a vacuum, would produce
between these conductors force of 2 x 10-7 N per metre of length."
1. k is chosen to be 2 x 10-7 N.A-2 in order to be consistent with the laws of electrolysis.
2. A vacuum is specified since certain media will attenuate the magnetic field. Errors of
measurement in air are negligibly small.
3. Conductors of infinite length are specified to eliminate end-effects. The definition is modified
to apply to coils of wire when accurate measurements are made in practice.

Definition of the coulomb:

Since a current is nothing but a flow of charge, we can now measure charge, Q, in terms of the
current, I, passing a cross-section of the conductor in time, t,

This enables us to define the coulomb:

"A coulomb is the quantity of charge passing a cross-section of conductor in one second when
the current is one ampere."

Domestic current in South Africa:

Domestic electricity is supplied in South Africa as an alternating current of 50 cycles per second
(50 hertz or 50 Hz) with Vmax equal to 311 V.
The supply voltage is quoted as 220 V because an alternating current produces the same heating
effect as a direct current produced by a constant potential difference of Vmax /2, and 311/1.414 =
220V.

Why do parallel current-carrying conductors attract one another?

Conductor B produces a magnetic field which i
perpendicular to the current flow in A.
The force acting on A will be at right angles to the
current flow and at right angles to the magnetic
field.
Now apply Fleming's left Hand rule: point the first
finger in the direction of the field, the second
finger in the direction of the current, and then
your thumb will point in the direction of the
direction of the force experienced by the
conductor A.
A similar argument will show that the field due to conductor A will cause a force on B towards A.
Hence the conductors are attracted to each other.