An _____ in a wire is a flow of electrons.

An _____ in a wire is a flow of electrons.

• A. Battery
• B. Ammeter
• C. Electrical current
• D. Circuit

Answer: (C)

Electric current is the flow of electric charges. In a metal wire, the charges that move are electrons, so when current exists, electrons are moving through the wire. That movement is what we call electrical current. The other terms describe something different: a battery provides the potential difference that drives current; an ammeter is a instrument used to measure how much current is flowing; a circuit is the complete path that allows current to flow. It’s also worth noting that current is defined as the flow of positive charge, which in metals corresponds to the movement of electrons in the opposite direction, yet we still refer to it as current.

Electric current is the flow of electric charges. In a metal wire, the charges that move are electrons, so when current exists, electrons are moving through the wire. That movement is what we call electrical current.

The other terms describe something different: a battery provides the potential difference that drives current; an ammeter is a instrument used to measure how much current is flowing; a circuit is the complete path that allows current to flow. It’s also worth noting that current is defined as the flow of positive charge, which in metals corresponds to the movement of electrons in the opposite direction, yet we still refer to it as current.