The amount of current i is measured in Amperes or Amps (Coulombs per second) and is defined as the charge passing an area of the wire per unit time.
The direction of the current flow is defined as the direction of the flow of positive charges. Since current physically consists of a flow of electrons, the direction of current is opposite to that of the electron flow. As a flow of charge, current must create a magnetic field. The rule for determining the direction is that when the thumb of the right hand points in the direction of the current, the fingers curl around the wire in the direction of the magnetic field.
