2007-03-16 22:00:00 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Mains voltage is fixed to within a few percent.
Voltage doesn't come out. The voltage causes current to flow. The current will differ depending on the appliance.
Think of the voltage like water pressure (height of the reservoir above the point of use) and current as water flow.
2007-03-17 03:11:45 · answer #1 · answered by Poor one 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nominally, yes, but practically, the voltage drops due to IR losses between the source and the load. The higher the current draw, the more severe the voltage loss.
In the US, the nominal low voltages are 120, 208, 240, 277, and 480. Because of voltage drops experienced from loading of transmission lines, manufacturers began designing motors and appliances for 115, 200, 230, 265, and 460.
2007-03-17 05:11:56 · answer #2 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Electrical voltage is similar to water pressure. The greater the voltage the greater the electrical 'pressure.' Just as the water pressure in a house may vary a little, household voltage may vary a little. However, appliances are designed to operate correctly only at a particular voltage (usually 110V). Electric stoves and clothes dryers may require 220V. The appliance electric plug is designed to be used only with an electric outlet of the correct voltage. People who travel abroad often have to use converters to use their appliances on other systems due to differences in voltage and even frequency.
2007-03-17 06:51:20 · answer #3 · answered by Kes 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, within about +/- 5% or so. Yes, you get a fixed voltage, generally speaking, from an outlet. What varies is the number of Amps that the appliance draws. The Amps, or as it is commonly called, "current", can vary a great deal from a very small amount, to 100, or possibly more amps.
2007-03-17 05:07:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
mains voltage is ac and therefore you get a sinusoidal wave for the voltage. the actual declared voltage for a socket is less than the peak value (called the root mean square value) - it's the square root of the average squared value.
in answer to Q the 'mains' voltage is not fixed - it varies but very quickly
however the voltage taht an appliance uses depends on the appliance, eg your mobile phone charger uses a transformer to reduce the voltage much smaller whereas your electric cooker uses a much larger voltage
2007-03-17 06:37:11 · answer #5 · answered by pat_arab 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋