Question
Question: Flow of current from higher potential to lower potential occurs until A) the point with lower pote...
Flow of current from higher potential to lower potential occurs until
A) the point with lower potential becomes lesser
B) the point with higher potential becomes higher
C) both potentials become the same
D) the potentials interchange position
Solution
Hint : When two points at different potentials are connected with the help of a conductor, electric current flows through the conductor from the point at a higher potential to the point at a lower potential. This is because the electrons in the cable would want to travel towards the point with lower potential since it will be less negative than the point with a higher potential.
Complete step by step answer:
Let us consider two points A and B.
"A" has more positive charges than negative charges at the same distance with different charges such that resultant potential at A is a positive value which implies that the contribution of the positive charges is more dominant.
"B" is far away from "A" but its charge configuration is such that its resultant electric potential is negative.
Then, by convention, the positive charge will move from point A to point B since it will be attracted towards point B from coulomb’s law. As a result, the current will go from point A which has a higher potential to point B which has a lower potential. This current will flow until enough positive charge accumulates at B so that both the points gain equal potential.
As a result, no more charge will flow and hence there will be no current in the circuit hence option (C) is correct.
Note:
The convention of the flow of positive charges is just a convention. In reality, it is the negatively charged electrons that move and current from one point to another. But since their charge is negative, the flow of current will be in a direction opposite of their flow which is why we consider the flow of charge to determine the direction of electric current.