The direction of electric current is significant because it is used as a convention to describe the flow of charge in a circuit. The convention is that the direction of electric current is the direction in which a positive charge would move. However, in metal wires, the actual charge carriers are negatively charged electrons, so the positive current arrow points in the opposite direction to the electrons movement. This convention was established by Ben Franklin, who envisioned positive charges as the carriers of charge. Although it may seem odd and outdated, this convention is still used worldwide.
The direction of current is important for understanding the flow of charge in a circuit, but it is not important for understanding how electric circuits work. When analyzing electrical circuits, the actual direction of current through a specific circuit element is usually unknown until the analysis is completed. Therefore, the reference direction of the current must be specified, usually by an arrow on the circuit schematic diagram.
