Transcript AC/DC - Angelfire

AC/DC
The Current Hits
Electricity is produced through
the induction of electric current.
By moving a wire across the lines of
a magnetic field, or moving the
magnetic field across the wire, one
can produce electricity.
The direction of the current may
be constant or may change
direction.
• If the wire or magnet is moved in only one
direction the current will flow in that
direction. If you reverse the direction you
will reverse the flow.
Direct Current DC
• A current which consists of charges that
flow only in one direction only is called
Direct Current.
• A battery produces direct current.
• Electrons move away from one end of the
battery, around the circuit, and into the other
end of the battery.
Alternating Current AC
• If a wire in a magnetic field were moved up
and down repeatedly, the current in the wire
would also reverse direction repeatedly.
• A current consisting of charges that move
back and forth in a circuit is an alternating
current.
• The electric current in your home is
alternating current.
Generators
• An electric generator converts mechanical
energy into electrical energy.
• An electric generator is the opposite of an
electric motor.
• An electric motor uses an electric current to
produce motion.
• A generator uses motion to produce an
electric current.
AC Generator
Inside the generator, a
loop of wire is moved
up and down inside of
the magnetic field and
every half turn, the
wire changes direction
within the field.
The result is a change of
direction in the current
of the wire.
DC Generator
A DC generator is the
same as a DC motor.
As a matter of fact, if
you run electricity
through a DC motor, it
will spin and the
spinning will produce
electric current.
Edison’s contribution
• Because of the simplicity of Direct Current
Generators producing electricity, T.A. Edison
decided to use DC as the source of current for his
electric company.
• One by-product of DC is heat.This made DC
electricity a potential cause of house fires.
• Because much of the energy was lost through heat,
DC couldn’t be sent over long distances, so there
would be a need for more generators closer
together.
Tesla’s contribution
• N. Tesla was able to produce Alternating
Current, using fewer generators.
• There was much less energy loss through
heat, making AC safer and more efficient.
• AC could be sent over longer distances than
DC.
• All of these reasons led to the wide use of
AC in homes.
Bibliography
Thomas A. Edison, 1878. Photo courtesy of U. S. Department of Interior, National Park Service,
Edison National Historic Site. Found at : http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edsndimg.html
Thunderstruck by AC/DC 1992 Leidseplein Presse B.V. Atco Records, Division of Atlantic
Recording Corp., 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10019
TESLA, NIKOLA. Wood engraving. Photographed by Sarony; engraved by T. Johnson. [1906?
Location: Century Magazine, v. 47, p. 585 (reference copy in Biographical File) Reproduction
Number: LC-USZ62-61761 Found at: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/print/235_pot.html#TeslaN