The correct option is Opposite to the flow of electrons.
Explanation
Electric current is defined as the rate of flow of electric charge through a conductor. The direction of current flow is a fundamental convention in circuit analysis, established prior to the discovery of the electron.
Detailed Analysis
- Historical Convention: When electricity was first studied, scientists assumed that current consisted of the flow of positive charges. Consequently, the direction of electric current was defined as the direction in which positive charges would move-from the positive terminal (higher potential) to the negative terminal (lower potential). This is known as the conventional current.
- Actual Electron Flow: In metallic conductors, the charge carriers are actually free electrons, which are negatively charged. Electrons are repelled by the negative terminal and attracted to the positive terminal. Therefore, they physically flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal.
- Conclusion: Since conventional current represents the flow of positive charge, and electrons are negative charges moving in the reverse direction, the conventional direction of electric current is taken to be opposite to the direction of electron flow.
Key Takeaway: Conventional current flows from Positive to Negative, while electrons flow from Negative to Positive. They are always opposite in direction.