Why current is a scalar quantity?

Question

Why current is a scalar quantity?

Answer 1

cause it dont have a particular direction

Answer 2

Because strictly current is the amount of charge that passes a single point in a unit amount of time, regardless of what direction it is going in.

You only stare at that one point and count the electrons that fly by. :)

There is another quantity called current density (usually denoted with a J) which, as the name suggests is "the amount of current per unit area per unit time". But additionally it takes into consideration "per unit of x, y, and z direction".

Though you won't have to know this unless you study engineering at university level, like me. :s

Answer 3

When we deal with electric & electronic circuits we measure currents between 2 points. in that case either the current flows from pointA to pointB or the reverse. So there is no point in assigning it as a vector. Only the direction is assigned as  +ve or  -ve (for reverse direction). Similarly the voltage across two points (or ports) is either V or -V as there is no need (the direction is fixed) for calling it or treating it as a vector.

Answer 4

scalars don't have directions like vectors.