Current (I)
Definition
In chemistry, current refers to the rate at which electric charge flows past a point in an electric circuit. It's measured in amperes (A).
Analogy
Imagine current as water flowing through a river. The faster the water moves (or more water that passes by), the stronger the current is. Similarly, electrical current represents how quickly electrons are moving through a wire or solution.
Related terms
Voltage (V): A measure of electric potential energy per unit charge; essentially 'electrical pressure' that pushes electrons around a circuit.
Resistance (R): A property that describes how much an object opposes the flow of electricity; akin to rocks or obstacles in our river analogy above.
Conductivity: How well a substance allows electricity to flow through it; similar to how wide and unobstructed our imaginary river is.
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