TelexExternal LinkInternal LinkInventory Cache
Alternating Current
This nOde last updated October 22nd, 2001 and is permanently morphing...
(8 Ik' (Wind) - 0 Zac (White) - 242/260 - 12.19.8.12.2)

1.AC suffers from significantly less line loss than DC when transmitted over long distances because it is easy to step it up to extremely high  voltages.

2.Large electrical generators happen to generate AC naturally, so conversion to DC would involve an  extra step.

3.Transformers must have alternating current to operate, and the power distribution grid depends on transformers.

4.It is easy to convert AC to DC but expensive to convert DC to AC, so if you were going to pick one or the other AC would be the better choice of the two.  The power plant therefore produces AC. However, it produces three different phases of power simultaneously, and the 3 phases are offset 120 degrees from each other. Out of every power plant comes 4 wires: the 3 phases plus a neutral or ground common to all 3.

ALTERNATING CURRENT

A flow of electrical current which increases to a maximum in one direction, decreases to zero, and then reverses direction and reaches maximum in the  other direction and back to zero. The cycle is repeated continuously. The number of such cycles per second is equal to the frequency and is measured in ‘’Hertz’’. U.S. commercial power is 60 Hertz (i.e. 60 cycles per second).

These structures are in essence made up by two identical interconnected graphs representing one of the basic elements of Western ideography, . Ideographically,  is a sign for one complete oscillationor one whole wave. If we take the straight line as our graphic reference, then the complete wave of a guitar string when strummed, will move back and forth above and below the straight line, graphically  (the sign for frequency). Consequently,  represents all types of waves in Western ideography.     In musical notation  stands for grupetto, i.e. that one should play a group of four notes, the note above, the note itself, the note below, and the note itself.   In eighteenth-century chemistry  meant solvere, to dissolve, and solutio, or solution.    In propositional logic,  P means that the opposite of P is true.    In electrical contexts  stands for alternating current.    In dictionaries  stands for words that have been referred to earlier or indicates that a term or expression is interchangeable with another.   In mathematics  can stand for varies as, is similar to, or is a complement of.   In Spanish and Portuguese writing  used over certain letters indicates a certain pronunciation and is called tilde.    In meteorology  has been, or is used to indicate ice or a coating of ice. The latter is also drawn  and .   In genealogical contexts  and  can mean baptized.

14:5 · When is doubled it stands in mathematics for approximately the same as.   In the context of electricity  can mean alternating current, or, in specific situations, alternating current that is within the audible frequency range.

This ideogram is used in some mathematical, geometrical and other sign systems with the meaning isomorph with or congruent with, i.e. of the same form as. It can also mean approximately equal to. Taking the equals sign, , as a starting point, the upper line has been replaced by the sign for a complete oscillation,.   This implies an equality in one dimension and a variance in the dimension of quantity.   Compare with  for frequency.    In electrical contexts  signifies alternating current, which also can be drawn , , and .    The sign  often appears in unexpected places, for example in , one of the many Jesus monograms of the type beginning to be used in the seventh century. In Latin the monogram IHS can be interpreted as I(n) H(oc) S(igno) vinces, that is, In This Sign You Will Be Victorious, or I(esus) H(ominem) S(alvator), that is Jesus, Saviour of Men. As  is the sign representing a complete oscillation, it might be that  in  refers to Christ's defeat and victory, death and resurrection.

This ideogram is often used to represent alternating current and sometimes frequency. With the former meaning  is synonymous with ,  and , whereas frequency can also be drawn as .   Note that  is the sign for one whole wave or oscillation.

• AC/DC
• techno track _Returning To The Purity Of Current_ MP3 (160k) by Surgeon
• track _Powerline_ by Hüsker Dü off of _New Day Rising_ 12"   on SST (1985)

 

what's this humming in my head
was it something that someone said
it's connecting us with them
electric wires turned on again

it aggravates and it pacifies
hear the power in the lines
strung high on every pole
how can this power be bought and sold?
trying to harness solar rays
making minutes seem like days
it captivates and it hypnotizes
hear the power in the lines
powerline

• Nikola Tesla

TelexExternal LinkInternal LinkInventory Cache