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very basic question

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one of my friend has asked me suppose a source is generating some 5 amps because of some load, this particular load is consuming 5 amps hence in the return path there should be 0 amps, but my argument is in the case of series circuit current is constant and equal to 5 in the above case. Now iam also getting the doubt that if the load is consuming 5 amps then after that load current should be 0. what iam missing here?
 
You don't "consume" current. In a series circuit such as you describe, the current leaving the device is the same as the current entering the device. That is simply Kirchhoff's current law (KCL). If the device has resistance or otherwise does work (as is usually the case), there is a voltage drop across the device.

John
 
In a series circuit the current is the same wherever you measure it, only the direction will change.
Conventional current flow goes + to -, electron flow goes - to +, the reason why these are different is that someone got it wrong with conventional current flow.

I wonder if your mixing current with voltage, on a voltage source the voltage may be labeled say +12v and 0v, but that doesn't mean to say current and no current.
 
one of my friend has asked me suppose a source is generating some 5 amps because of some load, this particular load is consuming 5 amps hence in the return path there should be 0 amps, but my argument is in the case of series circuit current is constant and equal to 5 in the above case. Now iam also getting the doubt that if the load is consuming 5 amps then after that load current should be 0. what iam missing here?

The load consumes energy. A voltage source is a charge pump. A pump has an intake and a outflow, it does not manufacture whatever it is pumping. It takes energy to push charge through a load resistance.

Ratch
 
In a series circuit the current is the same wherever you measure it, only the direction will change.
Conventional current flow goes + to -, electron flow goes - to +, the reason why these are different is that someone got it wrong with conventional current flow.

I wonder if your mixing current with voltage, on a voltage source the voltage may be labeled say +12v and 0v, but that doesn't mean to say current and no current.

No one got it wrong, especially Benjamin Franklin, who is often blamed. So called "conventional" charge flow is a mathematical artifice used to keep track of the polarity of the charge carriers. No matter what polarity you call "positive", you want charge flow going from positive voltage to negative voltage in electrical calculations. Then, after the calculations are complete, you can determine the true physical direction of the charge flow from the charge carrier polarity if necessary. Notice I said "charge flow", instead of the incorrect slang term "current flow" . Observe that electrical components like diodes and ammeters are marked with respect to mathematical convention, so that putting a positive voltage on the ammeter (+) terminal or a positive voltage behind the diode arrow will cause current to be present in the forward direction.

Ratch
 
The o/p being a noob I think wanted a simple answer.
 
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