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AC and DC Electricity

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AC and DC Electricity

Read the field notes and solve each clue. Remember: never touch an outlet, plug, or damaged cord as part of an investigation.

Field notes: two ways current flows

Electric current is the movement of electric charge. DC flows in one direction around a circuit. Batteries supply DC. Alternating current (AC) repeatedly changes direction. The electricity delivered to typical U.S. wall outlets is AC. Many devices that plug into an outlet use AC; some convert it to DC inside the device. A phone runs on DC from its battery, even if a charger plugged into an outlet supplies power to it. Both kinds of electricity can be dangerous. Stay away from outlets and damaged electrical equipment.

Decode the current

Use the field notes to answer the questions.

1.Which type of current flows in one direction around a circuit?

DC
AC
Both AC and DC
Neither AC nor DC

2.According to the field notes, what is the key difference between DC and AC?

3.Match each source or situation to the type of current it supplies or uses most directly.

A battery powering a flashlight
Electricity supplied by a typical U.S. wall outlet
A phone running from its own battery

4.According to the field notes, what does AC do that DC does not?

5.True or false: A phone running on its battery uses DC, even though its charger may be plugged into an AC outlet.

TrueFalse

6.Complete the sentences using AC or DC. Current from a battery is usually . Current supplied by a typical U.S. wall outlet is .

Solve the workshop mystery

A team is planning a safe display about how devices get electrical power. Use evidence from the field notes to solve the clues.

7.A battery-powered toy is switched on. Which description best fits the current supplied by its battery?

It flows in one direction around the circuit.
It changes direction every moment.
It has no direction because the toy is small.
It is always AC because the toy has a motor.

8.A student says, “Every device plugged into an outlet must use AC inside every part of the device.” Is this always correct? Explain using the phone-and-charger example.

9.Choose the safest action if you notice a damaged electrical cord near an outlet.

Keep away and tell a responsible adult.
Touch the cord carefully to test whether it is live.
Pour water on it to cool it down.
Pull the cord out by holding the damaged section.

10.Write one clear sentence explaining why knowing whether a power source supplies AC or DC can help someone choose or understand a device's power system.