direct current
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Direct current is electricity that flows in one direction through a circuit, from the positive terminal to the negative terminal. It matters because many common devices—like batteries, smartphones, and LED lights—rely on this steady, one-way flow of electric charge to operate.
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Direct current (DC) (red line). The vertical axis shows current or voltage and the horizontal 't' axis measures time and shows the zero value. Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or even through a vacuum as in electron or ion beams. The electric current flows in a constant direction, distinguishing it from alternating current (AC). A term formerly used for this type of current was galvanic current.
The abbreviations AC and DC are often used to mean simply alternating and direct, as when they modify current or voltage.