Constant Voltage Sources vs.

Constant Current Sources

Devices that cause electrons to move are called sources since they are the source
of electron or charge flow. The two typical types of sources are voltage and
current sources. Remember two important things when dealing with them.
Important Thing 1
When youre dealing with a voltage source, the output will try to maintain the
voltage
across the load. That is, the voltage at the source will be constant. This means in
terms
of Ohms Law that V remains the same at the source. I and R can change, but in the
end it
must always equal V in terms of Ohms Law. V = IR.
Important Thing 2
When youre dealing with a current source, the output will try to maintain the
current
through the load. That is, the current from the source will be constant. These are
less
common, but they do exist and can be used in many situations. Current from the
source
will remain constant, allowing V to change as R varies, still following Ohms Law
as
obediently as any other circuit, I = V/R.
The world of electronics is very voltage-centric, so you will see voltage sources
much more often than current sources. This being the case, I will concentrate
more on these types of sources.
Sources can come in two different types: AC or DC. Lets take a closer look