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The usual waveform of alternating current in most electric power circuits is a sine wave, whose positive half-period corresponds with positive direction of the current and vice versa (the full period is called a cycle). "Alternating current" most commonly refers to power distribution, but a wide range of other applications are technically ...
Alternating current is any current that reverses direction repeatedly; almost always this takes the form of a sine wave. [46]: 206–07 Alternating current thus pulses back and forth within a conductor without the charge moving any net distance over time. The time-averaged value of an alternating current is zero, but it delivers energy in first ...
The current entering any junction is equal to the current leaving that junction. i 2 + i 3 = i 1 + i 4. This law, also called Kirchhoff's first law, or Kirchhoff's junction rule, states that, for any node (junction) in an electrical circuit, the sum of currents flowing into that node is equal to the sum of currents flowing out of that node; or equivalently:
In a simple alternating current (AC) circuit consisting of a source and a linear time-invariant load, both the current and voltage are sinusoidal at the same frequency. [3] If the load is purely resistive, the two quantities reverse their polarity at the same time. Hence, the instantaneous power, given by the product of voltage and current, is ...
Firstly, whether direct current (DC) or alternating current should be used for distribution; because electric motors at that time used DC this was favoured. Secondly, electricity supplies to a large area could be supplied by a single generating station.
A current in a wire or circuit element can flow in either of two directions. When defining a variable to represent the current, the direction representing positive current must be specified, usually by an arrow on the circuit schematic diagram. [12] [13]: 13 This is called the reference direction of the current .
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to electrical engineering.. Electrical engineering – field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism.
Angle notation can easily describe leading and lagging current: . [1] In this equation, the value of theta is the important factor for leading and lagging current. As mentioned in the introduction above, leading or lagging current represents a time shift between the current and voltage sine curves, which is represented by the angle by which the curve is ahead or behind of where it would be ...