We explain what direct current is and how it works. Also, the difference between direct current and alternating current.
What is direct current?
Direct current (DC) or direct current (DC) is called a type of electric current, that is, the flow of an electric charge through a conductive material due to the displacement of a certain amount of electrons throughout its molecular structure. In the case of direct current, said flow of electrons is characterized by always having the same direction of circulation.
In other words, the direct current involves the continuous transit of an electrical charge between two points of the conductor that have different electrical potential and charge, such that it never changes with time.
This refers above all to the polarity of the charge, not its intensity: an electrical source that is depleted (such as a battery with a low charge) remains continuous if the direction of the electrical flow does not vary: always from the positive pole to the negative pole ( assigned by convention).
Every electrical circuit has these poles (positive and negative) and usually distinguishes them by colors (red and black, respectively), to prevent the electrical source from being introduced backwards and there being a reversal in polarity, which would damage the circuit.
That is why the batteries of a device must be in the correct polar order for it to work, since there is a transformer-rectifier that prevents reversed electrical flow.
In physical (theoretical) terms, the voltage of a direct current is represented on an x/y axis (voltage over time), as a straight line and without variations of any kind.
See also: Parallel circuit
Difference between direct current and alternating current
Unlike direct current, which has the same polar direction in its energy flow, alternating current (AC) is characterized by a regular and cyclic variation of its magnitude and sense in time.
This is the type of current that generally reaches homes and It is used for various domestic functions since it is much easier to transform than direct current, using transformers that allow the electrical voltage to be raised efficiently.
Direct current can be transformed into alternating current using a power inverter: which manages to change one type of electricity for another using a series of transformers, at various voltage and frequency levels.