Direct current flows in only one direction in a circuit, from the negative terminal of the voltage source to the positive. A common source of direct current (DC) is a battery.

Electricity is delivered from power stations to customers as AC because it provides a more efficient way to transport electricity over long distances. Most households use electricity with a frequency of 60Hz.

Current is the rate of flow of electrons per unit time and is measured in amperes (A). A coulomb (C) is the quantity of electricity conveyed in one second by a current of one ampere.

You can multiply the voltage or the current supplied by individual batteries by connecting them together either in series or in parallel. The characteristics of batteries connected in series are that total voltage equals the sum of the individual battery voltages, total current equals the average of the individual battery currents, the positive terminal of one battery is connected to the negative terminal of the next, and one connection is made between each adjacent battery.

Capacitors store electricity and are used in circuits as temporary batteries. Capacitors are charged by DC current (AC current passes through a capacitor) and that stored charge can later be dissipated into the circuit as needed. Capacitors are often used to maintain power within a system when it is disconnected from its primary power source or to smooth out or filter voltage within a circuit.