Direct current

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Direct current (often abbreviated as DC) refers to the current (and thus voltage) pattern used in one of the two main methods of carrying power (the other being so-called alternating current, or AC).

In DC, there is a constant flow of electrons in one direction, at an unchanging rate. (Sometimes an AC signal will be superimposed on a voltage offset, producing a unidirectional flow of electrons, but this is usually only for signal processing purposes.)

AC is preferred over DC for power transmission; DC is preferred for digital logic circuitry.