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{{move|Alternating Current}}

{{move|Alternating Current}}

'''Alternating current''' (commonly abbreviated '''AC''') is a type of [[electrical current]], the direction of which is reversed at regular intervals or cycles. That is, it has a non-zero [[frequency]], as opposed to [[direct current]] (DC), which has a zero frequency.  In the United States, the standard is 120 reversals or 60 cycles per second. Electricity transmission networks use AC because [[voltage]] can be controlled with relative ease.<ref>http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/solar_glossary.html</ref>

'''Alternating current''' (commonly abbreviated '''AC''') is a characterization of electricity in which the [[voltage]] or [[current]] changes rapidly.  (Except in unusual circumstances, if the voltage changes the current changes and vice-versa; however, the term "alternating current" is always used to describe this situation.)  If the voltage is constant, the situation is called [[direct current]] or '''DC'''.

 

There are two common situations in which this occurs:

 

*The voltage might be undulating in a regular manner; the rate at which the voltage repeats itself is called the [[frequency]].  This is almost universally done for electrical power transmission, the reason being that this makes it possible for voltages to be changed by [[transformer]]s, devices which only work on AC<ref>http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar/solar_glossary.html</ref>.  The frequency is measured in [[Hertz]] (abbreviated Hz).  For power distribution, the frequency is almost always 60 Hz, or 60 complete cycles (zero, positive, zero, negative) per second.

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Electricity]]

[[Category:Electricity]]

[[Category:Electronics]]

[[Category:Electronics]]

[[Category:Amateur Radio]]

[[Category:Radio]]