Direct Current Creation

**Direct current (DC) electricity** refers to the continuous flow of electric charges (electrons). Electrons move from an area of negative charge to an area of positive charge through a conducting material, such as a metal wire. A DC circuit is required to enable the flow of electrons. Most electric charge is carried by electrons and protons within atoms. Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge. However, protons remain mostly immobile within atomic nuclei, so the task of carrying charge is predominantly handled by electrons. In conducting materials, electrons are relatively free to move from one atom to another along conduction bands, which are the highest electron energy levels. A DC circuit typically consists of a source of electrical energy (such as a battery) and a conducting wire that connects the positive terminal to the negative terminal. Electrical devices, such as light bulbs, can be integrated into the circuit. The SI unit for measuring an electric current is the ampere, which represents the flow of electric charge at the rate of one coulomb per second across a surface.