eli5 What’s the difference between AC and DC currents?
In: Engineering
AC switches direction of the electron flow back and forward so there isn’t really a pre-decided + or – which is why it doesn’t matter which way you plug your electronics into a wall socket. If you google a “*sine wave”* you can see how the amplitude switches back and forth from the + and the –
DC however means that the electrons only flow in one direction (from the – to the +) which means that plugging your electronics in the wrong way can result in serious problems. (although most electronics have lots of safety measures nowadays)
AC is generally used in “larger” contexts where more power is involved, such as for large motors, electricity generation and distribution as it functions better in the purpose as transporting power through DC would be terribly inefficient among other things.
DC however works great for small circuits where you may want to apply logic components such as transistors, diodes and controllers. This is why your laptop has that little box that transforms the power from AC into DC where it runs into your battery and computer.
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