What is the term used for the rate of flow of electric charge?

The rate of flow of electric charge is defined as electric current. This term refers to the movement of electric charge carriers, typically electrons, through a conductor over a specific period of time. Electric current is measured in amperes (A), which quantifies the amount of charge (in coulombs) that passes through a point in a circuit per second.

Understanding electric current is vital for grasping how electrical circuits function, as it directly relates to the energy transfer in the circuit. Other concepts, like voltage, power, and resistance, are interconnected with current but describe different aspects of electrical phenomena. Voltage refers to the potential difference that drives current through a circuit, power relates to the rate at which energy is consumed or produced, and resistance quantifies how much a material opposes the flow of current. Each of these terms plays an integral role in the study of electricity, but electric current specifically denotes the flow itself.