Circuit: does current always flow from cathode to anode?

[dnafordays]

I saw the above figure and thought that current would flow through the capacitor and then towards "r," because I've learned that current always flows from cathode (bigger dash) to anode (smaller dash.) However, in the passage, it states the following:

"In this circuit, the capacitor will be fully charged soon after switch S is closed to the left, as current passes through the small fixed resistor r in series with the capacitor C. Then, when S is switched to the right, the capacitor discharges through the variable resistor R."

I may be reading this incorrectly, but is it saying that charge would travel through the small r before reaching the capacitor when the switched is closed right? I would assume it's the other way around since current should flow from the cathode (big dash) to anode (small dash)?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[amy_k]

Yes conventional current flow is the way that you described, but the answer isn't specifying current direction,just saying that when the switch is closed current flows through the resistor r and when the switch is open current discharges from the capacitor through R.

 

[dnafordays]

Yes conventional current flow is the way that you described, but the answer isn't specifying current direction,just saying that when the switch is closed current flows through the resistor r and when the switch is open current discharges from the capacitor through R.

Oh, that makes sense. Thank you!

 

[amy_k]

no problem!