What is the Difference Between AC and DC Current?

Electric current refers to the movement of electrons along the conductor, such as a wire. Electricity flows in two ways, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). The difference between AC and DC has to do with the direction in which the electrons are flowing.

Electric current refers to the movement of electrons along the conductor, such as a wire. Electricity flows in two ways, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). The difference between AC and DC has to do with the direction the electrons are flowing.

In direct current, electrons flow in one direction (forward) steadily. In alternating current, electrons change direction constantly, sometimes going forward and sometimes backward. This periodic change in direction determines the frequency of alternating current.

Both AC and DC identify the type of current in a circuit. Household electricity generated at power stations, flowing in power lines, and coming from a wall outlet is alternating current. A mobile phone, flashlight, laptop, or other battery-powered device uses direct current.

Alternating current is best to transmit electricity over long distances. It is widely used to carry electricity over longer distances and provide more power.

On the other hand, it is more efficient to transmit electrical energy as DC instead of AC. This requires two converter stations. First, it is necessary to convert the AC power to DC to initiate the transmission process. Next, it is necessary to convert the DC back to AC to connect it to the grid. This translates into hardware complexity and high cost.

The current graph of DC has a straight line with constant magnitude and direction. The graph of AC can be a sinusoidal wave, square wave or triangle wave.

The rate at which a waveform repeats itself is called frequency. The frequency of the alternating current is 50 Hz or 60 Hz, depending on the country. The frequency of direct current is zero. More than 100 countries such as Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Russia and China use 50 Hz frequency, while 60 Hz frequency is applied in approximately 40 countries including USA, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and Taiwan.

Alternating current is taken from the network or the generator. The direct current is provided by a photovoltaic cell or battery. It is possible to use alternating current by converting direct current and direct current into alternating current. A simple adapter can transform AC to DC. A converter that converts DC to AC is called an inverter.

There are two different types of alternating current, single-phase and three-phase. In particular, a three-phase AC is used for high voltage power transmission. Three-phase AC is converted to single-phase when sent to a home outlet.

Although the vast majority of electrical and electronic equipment prefer DC power because of its smooth flow, AC still dominates the electricity market because of its grid infrastructure. Both types of strength are necessary and neither is better than the other.