Understanding Electrical Current Flow in Circuits

For most people, electricity is a mysterious force that somehow magically appears when we flip a light switch or plug in an appliance. Yet, while the science behind the flow of electricity is very complex, the basics of electrical flow, or current, are easy to understand if you learn some key terms and functions. It also helps to compare the flow of electricity through wires with the flow of water through pipes. Although the analogy is not perfect, many characteristics of electrical flow in circuit wires are similar to the flow of water in a plumbing system.