2007-02-27 15:14:57 · 3 answers · asked by Orange? 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
AC power
Before tesla all motors ran on DC current only, and that gave Edison and his "DC only" system the edge. Then Tesla created the AC motor, giving AC the final edge it needed. AC was found to be superiour because of the easy voltage transformation avalable, because higher voltages are transmitted over thinner conducters with low losses, AC could be generated remotely (first big station at the Niagra falls) at very high voltages, then run into cities where it would be stepped down, to local distribution grids, run around neighborhoods, and then stepped down yet more for household current. Edisons system depended on the generators being close to the users, and very large conductors still being needed between the two.
2007-02-27 15:22:12 · answer #1 · answered by oneirondreamer 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
He helped perfect an alternating current system, which has major advantages in terms of long-distance portability. For one, the voltages could be regulated along the way, sending electricity through very high tension wires and then using transformers to decrease the voltage so that households could use it. Also, unlike DC current, AC current can be transmitted at high voltage but low current. This is very important because, by the definition of power, I^2R, the amount of power, and hence heat, produced is proportional to resistance and the squared current. For a DC system, the high current would mean a large losst of energy through heat dissipation in wires. But with AC current, the current can be set very low while thevoltage is kept high, resulting in little heat loss.
2007-02-27 23:28:02 · answer #2 · answered by bloggerdude2005 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
probably a transformer in disguise.
http://algoreiscausingglobalwarming.com
2007-02-28 00:10:14 · answer #3 · answered by algoreiscausingglobalwarming 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋