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FAA definition of current flow direction

Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice question 26 of 41 on Fundamentals of Electricity and Electronics. ACS element AM.I.A.K1 · difficulty: recall. Want to answer it in a timed quiz? Use the Aviation Mechanic General (AMG) practice mode.

Question bank updated 2026-09-22

QUESTIONHow does the Federal Aviation Administration officially define the direction of current flow?

  1. AConventional flow, from positive to negative
  2. BElectron flow, from negative to positive
  3. CHole flow, from the positive terminal toward ground
Show the answer and explanation

Correct answer: B. Electron flow, from negative to positive

  • A — incorrect Conventional flow is the older theory advanced by Benjamin Franklin; it is still used in some publications but is not the FAA's official definition.
  • B — correct The handbook states that the FAA officially defines current flow using electron theory, which is flow from the negative source to the positive source.
  • C — incorrect Hole flow is not how the handbook defines current flow; the official FAA definition is electron flow from negative to positive.

BACKGROUND

Two competing ways of describing current are in use. Conventional current theory, advanced by Benjamin Franklin, pictures current flowing out of the positive source into the negative source. Later discoveries showed that electrons actually flow out of the negative source toward the positive source, which is called electron flow. Both methods appear in industry publications, and for troubleshooting it makes little difference which is used as long as it is applied consistently. The FAA, however, officially defines current flow using electron theory, negative to positive.

STUDY TIP

Remember the pair: Franklin's conventional flow is positive to negative; electron flow (the FAA definition) is negative to positive.

KEY POINTS

  • Conventional flow: positive to negative (Franklin's theory).
  • Electron flow: negative to positive (what actually happens).
  • The FAA officially uses electron theory to define current flow.

SOURCES

  • FAA-H-8083-30B ch12 "Conventional Flow & Electron Flow"
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SkyDrill is not affiliated with the FAA. This is an original practice item based on FAA-H-8083-30B Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook – General, 14 CFR part 43 and part 65. Regulations and handbooks are revised; confirm details against the current edition.