How is current defined in electrical terms?

Current is defined in electrical terms as the flow of electric charge. More specifically, it is the amount of charge that passes through a conductor or a circuit per unit time. When we say that current is the charge transferred in 1 second, we are referring to the fundamental definition given by the equation:

[ I = \frac{Q}{t} ]

where ( I ) is the current, ( Q ) is the electric charge (measured in coulombs), and ( t ) is the time (measured in seconds). This means that if you know how much charge flows in a circuit over a specific time, you can calculate the current in that circuit.

This definition underpins the concepts of electric circuits, emphasizing that current is a measure of how quickly charge is moving. Understanding this relationship is essential for analyzing and working with electrical systems effectively.