Electronics for Beginners: A Practical Introduction to Schematics, Circuits, and Microcontrollers
by Jonathan Bartlett
Appendix A: Glossary
AC See alternating current.
AC mains This is the type of current that is supplied to your house by the public utility companies. This is usually 120 volts AC and cycles back and forth 50–60 times per second.
AC signal This is the type of current usually picked up by a microphone or antenna. It has very low current and usually must be amplified before processing.
alternating current Current where the flow of current continually changes direction. This can also refer to a continual stream of fluctuations of voltage.
amp A shorthand way of saying ampere. See ampere.
ampere An ampere is a measurement of the movement of charge. It is equivalent to 1 coulomb of charge per second moving past a given point in a circuit.