eli5: how does AC power provide power when it’s just shifting back and forth? Don’t you need to have current going in one direction

Question

eli5: how does AC power provide power when it’s just shifting back and forth? Don’t you need to have current going in one direction

In: 67

Answer 1

well technically it IS flowing in 1 direction ; for a few milli/nano/pico-seconds XD ; and then it flows back in the other direction =] ; all modern equipment is just built to handle this constant reversal

and obvs AC is more dominate than DC becuz DC would require enormous wires to transmit power over the thousands of kilometers ; whereas AC only requires a very small wire and some transformers along the way

fun debate that drove the internet crazy awhile back : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iph500cPK28