Question

What symbol is AC and DC?

Answer 1

In electrical engineering, **AC (Alternating Current)** and **DC (Direct Current)** have standard **symbols** used in diagrams, schematics, and on devices to distinguish between the two types of current. Here's a detailed explanation:

---

### ⚡ **1. DC (Direct Current) Symbol**

#### ✅ **Standard Symbol:**

* A **solid straight line** (—) **above** a **dashed line** (---)
* It looks like this:

  ```
   —
  ---
  ```

####  **Meaning:**

* The **solid line** represents a constant, unchanging voltage or current.
* The **dashed line** represents the baseline, indicating there are **no fluctuations** over time.
* **DC flows in one direction only**, typically from positive to negative.

####  **Used In:**

* Battery-powered devices
* Solar panels
* USB power supplies
* Electronics circuits (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.)

---

###  **2. AC (Alternating Current) Symbol**

#### ✅ **Standard Symbol:**

* A **wavy line** or **sine wave**
* It looks like this:

  ```
  ~
  ```

  or a more formal schematic symbol:

  ```
  ∿ (Unicode Character U+223F)
  ```

####  **Meaning:**

* The **wave shape** indicates that voltage/current **alternates direction periodically**.
* It typically follows a **sinusoidal waveform** in power systems.

####  **Used In:**

* Household wall outlets
* Transmission lines
* Most power grids

---

###  **Combined Symbols on Devices**

Some power supplies or multimeters show both AC and DC like:

* **DC Voltage**: `V⎓` (V with the DC symbol)
* **AC Voltage**: `V~` (V with the AC symbol)
* **DC Current**: `A⎓`
* **AC Current**: `A~`

---

###  **Summary Table**

| Current Type | Symbol         | Description                     |
| ------------ | -------------- | ------------------------------- |
| DC           | `⎓` or `— ---` | Straight line above dashed line |
| AC           | `~` or `∿`     | Wavy or sine wave line          |

---

Would you like an image showing these symbols in use on actual devices or schematics?