We explain what alternating current is and how it works. Also, examples and the difference between alternating and direct current.
What is alternating current?
It is called alternating current (AC) type of electric current further domestically employed characterized by oscillating regularly and cyclically in its magnitude and direction. The most common way to represent it is through a graph (on an x/y axis) in the form of sine waves.
All electric current is the flow of electrons along the molecular structure of a conductive material, always from the positive pole to the negative pole of the material (these poles are assigned in a completely conventional way).
This phenomenon, known since human antiquity, is due to the presence of free electrons in the last layer of the atoms of these materials, which, since they are not very tightly bound to the atomic nucleus, can migrate to the next atom, thus generating a current. This is what happens, for example, when rubbing certain materials.
For its part, the alternating current was discovered by Serbian physicist, engineer, and inventor Nikola Tesla in 1882 date on which he designed and built the first engine to use it for operation.
The system currently used for the transformation and distribution of this current is also due to the genius of this engineer, whose First broadcast occurred in 1891 in Colorado United States, thus starting the so-called War of the Currents between Tesla himself and Thomas Edison, who despite the obvious advantages of alternating current defended the use of direct current (DC) as he owned most of the patents industries of the latter.
See also: Faraday's Law
Examples of alternating current
Alternating current is the most used in our lives. It is generated in various ways, in power plants (hydroelectric, wind, nuclear, etc.) and through the use of alternators (such as those in automobiles), which take advantage of the direct current from batteries and other accumulators, to generate alternating current. through magnetic induction (continuous polarity changes in the electric field of the conductive material).
Difference between alternating and direct current
The main difference between alternating current and direct current has to do with the properties of electrical flow: in the case of direct current the flow is stable, unidirectional and invariable (it is represented on an x/y axis as a straight line) ; while alternating current oscillates in its magnitude and polarity cyclically (represented as sine waves on an x/y axis).
This, however, translates into a number of different characteristics. Alternating current is a lot easier to transform than the continuous since to raise the voltage of the latter a series of dynamos connected in series is required, which is not very practical, while with the alternating current it can be done simply using a transformer.
