Electric current flows in two ways as an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). The main difference between AC and DC lies in the direction in which the electrons flow. In DC, the electrons flow steadily in a single direction, while electrons keep switching directions, going forward and then backwards in AC.

Electrical current is the flow of charged particles, or specifically in the case of AC and DC, the flow of electrons. According to Karl K. Berggren, professor of electrical engineering at MIT, the fundamental difference between AC and DC is the direction of flow. DC is constant and moves in one direction.

AC stands for Alternating Current while DC stands for Direct Current. When we talk about alternating current, we see that in here the current keeps switching from time to time. In other words, forward and backwards. On the other hand, the current flows in a single direction in a steady manner in direct current.

Ac current changes its direction during flow while the DC current does not change its direction during flow and remains constant. The AC current has a frequency that shows how many times the direction of current flow changes during flow while the frequency of the direct current is zero as it does not change the direction of flow.

The primary difference between DC and AC current lies in how they flow. DC current flows in one constant direction, making it ideal for powering electronics and battery-operated devices. In contrast, AC current alternates its direction and is typically used for power transmission over long distances.