Final answer:
The statement is false because free electrons maintain some random movement even when contributing to current. They gain a drift velocity under the influence of an electrical field. The direction of conventional current is opposite to the electron flow and comes from historical conventions set by Benjamin Franklin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that when free electrons in a conductor give up their random movement and flow in one direction, it is called current, or simple current, is false. In a conductor, free electrons do indeed contribute to the current, but their movement is not simply directional, and they do not give up their random movement altogether. These electrons make many collisions with other particles and, as a result, move in a seemingly random manner. However, when an electrical field is applied, these electrons gain an overall drift velocity in the direction opposite to the electric field.
Additionally, the direction of conventional current is defined as the direction that positive charge would flow, which is from positive to negative. This definition goes back to Benjamin Franklin, who named the type of charge associated with electrons as negative, though he was not aware of their role in electric current. Thus, in metal wires, current is the movement of electrons and, therefore, the movement of negative charges. Other mediums like ionic solutions or nerve cells can have both positive and negative charges moving, contributing to the current.