Which of the following best defines electric current?

The best definition of electric current is the rate at which charge flows through a conductor. This definition captures the essence of electric current, which is fundamentally about the movement of charged particles, typically electrons, through a material, such as a wire. It is expressed in amperes (A), which indicates how much charge passes through a point in the conductor per unit time.

Electric current is different from potential difference, which refers to the voltage between two points in a circuit and indicates how much energy per charge is available to drive the flow of current. Similarly, the force applied to move electrons pertains more to the electric field acting on the charges rather than the current itself. Finally, electrical resistance is a measure of how much a material opposes the flow of electric current, another distinct concept that relates to current but does not define it. Thus, the focus on the flow of charge as the defining characteristic makes the first choice the most accurate representation of electric current.