What direction does conventional current flow?

Conventional current is defined as the flow of positive charge. By this definition, it flows from the positive terminal to the negative terminal of a power source, such as a battery. This convention dates back to the early days of electrical theory when the direction of current was established before the discovery of the electron.

In this context, the flow from positive to negative reflects the movement of positive charges, guiding engineers and scientists in their work with electrical circuits. Thus, when talking about conventional current, it is essential to understand that it is based on this historical convention, which continues to be used for consistency and clarity in electrical engineering and physics, even though we now know that electrons, which are negatively charged, actually move in the opposite direction within a circuit. This internal logic offers a coherent understanding of how electric circuits are analyzed and designed.