Current Location in a Wire Does DC current travel more through
the center of the conductor or more on the surface of the
conductor (wire)? As the frequency of electrical current goes
up, it tends to travel tends more on the surface of a conductor.
DC is the ultimate low frequency. It would tend to move through
the entire conductor. So - to answer you question - percentage-
wise more is traveling through the In some applications - such
as military aircraft - 400 hz is sometimes used (compared to 60
hz for household current). In doing this they are able to use
hollow tubing as a conductor giving them lighter weight. The
center of the conductor that is not used by the higher frequency
is A lightning bolt (real DC!) travels deeply in trees or
persons struck by the lightning. The damage done is in the
portion of the object most conductive to the current... where
the most heat is generated by the DC current will use the wire's
whole cross-section evenly. Imagine a single solid wire divided
by invisibly-thin barriers