Why do electrons flow from negative to positive?

Electrons flow from negative to positive because they are negatively charged and are attracted to the positive charge.

In more detail, this is all about the fundamental nature of electric charges. In the world of physics, opposite charges attract each other, while like charges repel. This is a basic principle known as Coulomb's Law. Electrons carry a negative charge, and so they are naturally attracted towards areas of positive charge.

When a voltage or a force is applied across a conductor, such as a wire, it creates an electric field. This electric field exerts a force on the free electrons in the conductor. Since the electric field points from the positive to the negative terminal, and electrons are negatively charged, they experience a force in the opposite direction of the field. This causes them to move or 'flow' from the negative terminal to the positive terminal.

This flow of electrons is what we commonly refer to as electric current. It's important to note that in conventional current, the direction of current flow is considered to be from positive to negative. This is a historical convention dating back to Benjamin Franklin, who assumed that electric charge flowed from areas of excess charge (which he called 'positive') to areas of deficit (which he called 'negative'). However, we now know that it's actually the electrons, with their negative charge, that are doing the moving.

In summary, electrons flow from negative to positive because they are negatively charged and are attracted to the positive charge. This movement of electrons under the influence of an electric field is the basis of electric current.