River Analogy for Electrical Current

• In a voltaic cell, electrical voltage is the driving force that causes electrons to flow.
• A high voltage corresponds to a high driving force, while a low voltage corresponds to a low driving force.
• Electrons flowing through a wire are similar to water flowing in a river.
• The quantity of electrons that flows through the wire (electrical current) is analogous to the amount of water that flows through the river (the river’s current).
• The driving force that causes the electrons to flow through a wire—called potential difference or voltage—is analogous to the force of gravity that causes water to flow in a river.
• A high voltage is analogous to a steeply descending streambed.