ELECTRICAL TERMINOLOGYBasic Electrical TheoryGenerally, electric current flow can be classified as one of two general types: Direct Current(DC) or Alternating Current(AC). A direct current flows continuously in the same direction.An alternating current periodically reverses direction. We will be studying DC and AC currentin more detail later in this text. An example of DC current is that current obtained from abattery. An example of AC current is common household current.RealandIdealSourcesAn ideal source is a theoretical concept of an electric current or voltage supply (such as abattery) that has no losses and is a perfect voltage or current supply. Ideal sources are used foranalytical purposes only since they cannot occur in nature.A real source is a real life current or voltage supply that has some losses associated with it.SummaryThe important information contained in this chapter is summarized below.Terminology SummaryConductor - material with electrons loosely bound to its atoms or that permitsfree motion of large number of electronsInsulator - material with electrons tightly bound to its atoms; requires largeamounts of energy to free electrons from its nucleiResistor - material that conducts electricity, but opposes current flowElectron Current Flow - current flow from negative to positive potentialsConventional Current Flow - current flow from positive to negative potentialsDirect Current - current flow continuously in the same directionAlternating Current - current flow periodically reverses directionIdeal Source - theoretical current or voltage supply with no lossesReal Source - actual current or voltage supply with lossesES-01 Page 12 Rev. 0
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