Direct Current (DC)

DC stands for Direct Current, which is electrical current that flows in one direction.

In dc circuits, the current is in one direction unlike the alternating current (AC) where the current reverses direction 50 or 60 times a second depending on the frequency of the supply. As the direct current flows, the electrons, which constitute the electric charge, flow from the point of low potential to the point of high potential. They move from the negative terminal to the positive terminal and the resulting current is in the opposite direction (from positive to negative).

DC can be generated in a number of ways:

●       An AC generator equipped with a device called a "commutator" can produce direct current

●       Use of a device called a "rectifier" that converts AC to DC

●       Batteries provide DC, which is generated from a chemical reaction inside of the battery

An ideal DC supply should provide a constant voltage and adequate current throughout the operation of the equipment. However, sources such as batteries have a limited capacity and can only power the equipment efficiently for a given period determined by the rating of the battery and the load.