1 Answer
The choice of **AC (alternating current) over DC (direct current)** for power distribution, especially over long distances, comes down to several key advantages:
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### **1. Easier and More Efficient Voltage Transformation**
- **AC voltage can be easily stepped up or down** using transformers.
- High voltage = low current = **less power loss** due to heat (resistive losses).
- DC was difficult to step up/down efficiently (until modern electronics like in HVDC).
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### **2. Long-Distance Transmission**
- AC is better suited for **long-distance transmission** because you can use **high voltages (like 400kV)** to reduce energy loss.
- With DC, early systems lost more power over distance and couldn’t use transformers effectively.
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### ️ **3. Simpler and Cheaper Infrastructure**
- AC generators (alternators) and motors are **cheaper and more durable** than their DC counterparts.
- Power plants can be connected and synchronized more easily with AC.
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### **4. Historical and Technological Momentum**
- Nikola Tesla and Westinghouse promoted AC, winning over Thomas Edison's DC in the “War of Currents.”
- Infrastructure was built around AC, creating a global standard.
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### BUT: Modern DC Is Making a Comeback
- **High Voltage DC (HVDC)** is now used in very long-distance transmission (e.g., undersea cables, intercontinental links).
- DC is also common in **batteries, solar panels, and electronics** — which often need converters to interface with AC systems.
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Would you like a diagram comparing AC vs DC visually?
---
### **1. Easier and More Efficient Voltage Transformation**
- **AC voltage can be easily stepped up or down** using transformers.
- High voltage = low current = **less power loss** due to heat (resistive losses).
- DC was difficult to step up/down efficiently (until modern electronics like in HVDC).
---
### **2. Long-Distance Transmission**
- AC is better suited for **long-distance transmission** because you can use **high voltages (like 400kV)** to reduce energy loss.
- With DC, early systems lost more power over distance and couldn’t use transformers effectively.
---
### ️ **3. Simpler and Cheaper Infrastructure**
- AC generators (alternators) and motors are **cheaper and more durable** than their DC counterparts.
- Power plants can be connected and synchronized more easily with AC.
---
### **4. Historical and Technological Momentum**
- Nikola Tesla and Westinghouse promoted AC, winning over Thomas Edison's DC in the “War of Currents.”
- Infrastructure was built around AC, creating a global standard.
---
### BUT: Modern DC Is Making a Comeback
- **High Voltage DC (HVDC)** is now used in very long-distance transmission (e.g., undersea cables, intercontinental links).
- DC is also common in **batteries, solar panels, and electronics** — which often need converters to interface with AC systems.
---
Would you like a diagram comparing AC vs DC visually?