A circuit carrying current in one direction is called a direct current (DC) circuit. In a DC circuit, the flow of electric charge is constant and does not change direction. This is in contrast to an alternating current (AC) circuit, where the flow of electric charge changes direction periodically. DC circuits are commonly used in electronics and power transmission systems.
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The primary difference between DC and AC is the direction of current flow. In a DC circuit, all electron current flow is in one direction. In an AC circuit, current flows in one direction for part of the time, and in another direction for another part of the time. In the AC circuit, we'll see current flowing "back and forth" instead of the unidirectional current flow we find in a DC circuit.DC is "Direct Current", and AC is "Alternating Current". In DC, the current flow is in one direction only. In AC, the current flow is constantly changing direction.An example of DC is the output of a battery. An example of AC is the power present in a home electrical system.The current whose magnitude and direction remains change called as alternating current.The current whose magnitude and direction remain unchanged called as d.c. Current.
Diode's are restrictive to one direction of current only. A resistor will limit the amount of current in a circuit.
The conventional direction of current flow in a DC circuit is from positive to negative. In reality the electron flow is from negative to positive. Most electronic schematics today still use the conventional current flow when drawn.
As the emf in an AC circuit causes current flow in the core of an inductor the magnetic dipoles will align themselves with the direction of the flow. As the current reverses the dipoles tend to stay aligned and there is a certain amount of flow that is required to realign them in the opposite direction. Thus there is a lag between current reversal and dipole realignment. The energy used for this realignment so to speak is called hysterisis and is a loss to the circuit.
It is called a series circuit.