9
CHAPTER
Alternating-Current Basics
WE CAN EXPRESS DC IN TERMS OF TWO VARIABLES: DIRECTION (POLARITY) AND INTENSITY (AMPLITUDE). If we want to gain a full understanding of alternating current (AC), we must work a little harder.
Definition of AC
Direct current or voltage has polarity that remains constant as time passes. Although the amplitude (the number of amperes, volts, or watts) can fluctuate from moment to moment, the charge carriers always flow in the same direction at any point in the circuit, and the charge poles always keep the same relative orientation.
In AC, the charge-carrier flow and the polarity reverse at regular intervals. The instantaneous amplitude (the amplitude at any given instant in time) of AC usually varies because of ...
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