alternating current

alternating current, flow of electric charge that periodically reverses. It starts, say, from zero, grows to a maximum, decreases to zero, reverses, reaches a maximum in the opposite direction, returns again to the original value, and repeats this cycle indefinitely. The interval of time between the attainment of a definite value on two successive cycles is called the period, the number of cycles or periods per second is the frequency, and the maximum value in either direction is the amplitude of the alternating current. Low frequencies, such as 50 and 60 cycles per second (hertz), are used for domestic and commercial power, but alternating currents of frequencies around 100,000,000 cycles per second (100 megahertz) are used in television and those of several thousand megahertz in radar or microwave communication. Cellular telephones operate at frequencies of about 1,000 megahertz (1 gigahertz).

For decades, alternating current (AC) had the distinct advantage over direct current (DC; a steady flow of electric charge in one direction) of being able to transmit power over large distances without great loss of energy to resistance. The power transmitted is equal to the current times the voltage; however, the power lost is equal to the resistance times the square of the current. Changing voltages was very difficult with the first DC electric power grids in the late 19th century. Because of the power loss, these grids used low voltages to maintain high current and thus could only transmit usable power over short distances. DC power transmission was soon supplanted by AC systems that transmit power at very high voltages (and correspondingly low current) and easily use transformers to change the voltage. (However, current DC systems can easily change voltages.) Current AC systems transmit power from generators at hundreds of thousands of volts and use transformers to lower the voltage to 220 volts (as in much of the world) or 120 volts (as in North America) for individual customers. See also electric current.