[denton-scratch]

> but it turns out they were going the other way

Nobody seems to have mentioned Holes. Holes are positive charge-carriers. Yeah - they're virtual, they're not like positrons or protons. But they behave just like electrons going "the other way".

My understanding is that a hole represents the absence of an electron. If an electron is removed (e.g. by rubbing), there's remains a physical object bearing a positive charge: the proton that was originally associated with that electron.

I haven't heard anyone talking about holes for years. Are they now deemed an outmoded concept?

[Edit: should have read further down the comments :-)]

[utensil4778]

The concept of holes is important, but it doesn't have much practical use. It typically only comes up when you're discussing the physics of how semiconductors work, or doing similar electron-level analysis of a component.

It's also usually brought up early on when teaching new students about circuit physics, but it's really not something that comes up in an EE's day to day.

Maybe it's more relevant if you're deep into analog or RF black magic, I wouldn't know.