Why is alternating current more convenient than a direct current?

Answer 1

The main advantage offered by using alternating current is that it is easy to achieve the transmission of large amounts of power over very long distances and to do it much more cheaply than by using direct current.

The most efficient way to transmit energy by wire is to make it low current and high voltage. AC voltage can be transformed very easily with Transformers (called stepping-up and stepping-down), and Transformers only work with AC.

Powerplants produce AC by default, so it would take additional effort to convert it to DC.

It is much easier and cheaper to convert AC to DC than to convert DC to AC.

Another answer

An AC voltage can be easily transformed to a higher or lower voltage, with very little loss of power, by passing it through a device known as a transformer.

Alternating current can be converted into direct current very easily so that dc can be made available to any equipment which needs it.

Answer 2

The main advantage offered by using alternating current is that it is easy to achieve the transmission of large amounts of power over very long distances and to do it much more cheaply than by using direct current.

The most efficient way to transmit energy by wire is to make it low current and high voltage. AC voltage can be transformed very easily with transformers (called stepping-up and stepping-down), and transformers only work with AC.

Powerplants produce AC by default, so it would take additional effort to convert it to DC.

It is much easier and cheaper to convert AC to DC than to convert DC to AC.

Another answer

An AC voltage can be easily transformed to a higher or lower voltage, with very little loss of power, by passing it through a device known as a transformer.

Alternating current can be converted into direct current very easily so that dc can be made available to any equipment which needs it.

Answer 3

Alternating current can easily be converted to a higher or a lower voltage - a simple transformer is enough. Doing the same with direct current requires some involved electronics.

Alternating current can easily be converted to a higher or a lower voltage - a simple transformer is enough. Doing the same with direct current requires some involved electronics.

Alternating current can easily be converted to a higher or a lower voltage - a simple transformer is enough. Doing the same with direct current requires some involved electronics.

Alternating current can easily be converted to a higher or a lower voltage - a simple transformer is enough. Doing the same with direct current requires some involved electronics.

Answer 4

It's not "better". It's different, which is better in some ways and worse in others.

The substantial advantage it has over DC for power transmission is that it's relatively easy to step up or down the voltage as needed using transformers. This allows the use of very high voltages for long distance lines, while using a relatively low voltage in homes (high voltage incurs lower transmission losses; low voltage is safer). To do the same with DC would be expensive and problematic.

Answer 5

Because alternating current can be stepped up and down with a transformer. It is stepped up so that more power can be transmitted over smaller conductors, and then stepped down to useful levels at regional sites in a multi-level hierarchy.

Answer 6

DC is used in simple systems like cars which rely on a battery, and most electronics systems like computers and radios run on DC and require a converter if run from the mains.

Answer 7

Alternating current can easily be converted to a higher or a lower voltage - a simple transformer is enough. Doing the same with direct current requires some involved electronics.