Outputs - Two outputs from an input source

Thread Starter

Drmario5237

Joined Oct 14, 2018
65
You have two outputs from an input source, one leading to ground, the other leading to a resistor. Which way will the current flow( to resistor or to ground or will it flow both ways). Thanks.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
You have two outputs from a input source, one leading to ground, the other leading to a resistor. Which way will the current flow( to resistor or to ground or will it flow both ways). Thanks.
The question does not provide enough information to allow a useful answer. So the very best that you can get with such an incomplete question will be a whole bunch of guesses that will not provide any benefit.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
The forum member who is really good with this stuff is a guy named Kirchhoff. He wrote a bunch of rules or really laws on the subject of what current does. He left some notes which you can find here in the forums. Should you not find what you are looking for in that link you will need to much better define your question because as written it leaves quite a bit to the imagination. As far as current flow direction just see the links danadak was kind enough to provide.

Ron
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
Electrons flow one way, but the direction that they flow toward is negative because the charge on electrons is negative. But as a matter of convenience in the electrical and electronic fields we say that current flows from positive to negative. but in a rectifier tube in a power supply the electrons are emitted from the hot cathode of the rectifier tube to the plates, and then through the voltage source to the other side of the load. And since the electrons, with all of their negativity, are leaving the cathode, it becomes positive. We define it this way to keep the theoretical physics people confused, and it has been successful in doing that for many years.
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
Three hours ago and the TS hasn't checked back. Is this a fool's errand type question? We'd rather help those who are genuinely interested in learning something. Either provide us more detail or stop asking questions just to see how many responses you can get.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
Three hours ago and the TS hasn't checked back. Is this a fool's errand type question? We'd rather help those who are genuinely interested in learning something. Either provide us more detail or stop asking questions just to see how many responses you can get.
The same TS asked a question about a transformer feeding power back to the primary. I suggested a study of some transformer basics.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
You have two outputs from a input source, one leading to ground, the other leading to a resistor. Which way will the current flow( to resistor or to ground or will it flow both ways). Thanks.
Two connections do not constitute two out puts, they are a single output connection. Current flow will be from the positive terminal through the resistor to the negative terminal. It works that way in engineering terms. In physics terms, the electrons would travel from the negative connection to the positive connection.
But since engineers design circuits we use the current flow model because electrons are so small that it is very hard to see them.
 

ElectricSpidey

Joined Dec 2, 2017
2,758
We have conventional current because some fools decided current can’t flow from low to high, and all of the arrows are backwards…waaaaaa…waaaa…waaaa.

;) Kidding..
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,167
an output connected to GND. what can go wrong...
OK, the "GND" connection is actually half of an output PORT, since we are discussing circuits here, at least I am. No terminal is an island, it is a peninsula, (with apologies to the Jefferson Airplane for borrowing their line)
Circuits include the whole loop, otherwise we would have an accumulation of charge, most often called static electricity. "Real Current" flows in loops, and the sum of all voltages around the loop equals zero. That is not original with me, by the way.
 
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