DIRECT and ALTERNATING CURRENT

Direct Current

DIRECT CURRENT- Electric current in a circuit that is in one direction only.

• most likely objects that have a direct current run off a battery eg a torch
  

Alternating current

ALTERNATING CURRENT- Electric current in a circuit that repeatedly reverses its direction (ie up, down). it flows like this in successive cycles.

• objects that have a AC is mains supply in a house. 
• FREQUENCY= number of cycles it passes through each second.
  

Measuring an alternating Potential Difference

• an oscilliscope- used to display the shape of an electrical wave- can be used to measure:
• PEAK POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE and FREQUENCY of a low voltage AC SUPPLY
  

• PEAK PD
  
• (is the same as peak voltage)=
• THE MAXIMUM VOLTAGE MEASURED, FROM 0 VOLTS.
• you measure at…