In this room I have a socket on the wall marked "230 V AC", but there is nothing plugged in.
If there is no load, then there is no current flow from the socket. If there can only be current flow into a load, then does this mean that I nolonger have AC (alternating current)?
So why do we say AC, when we really mean AV? Just a thought!
Even without load, the voltage continues to oscillate while the current is zero. You are of coarse correct from my point of view. But logic and science seldom go hand in hand, unfortunately! But, if you look at the device in its working state rather than its idle, and useless, then the current alternates. Ok. I'll give em that ...
Tim Gard
I can attempt to at least partially answer your question even without my morning cup of coffee. :) There is still voltage at those contacts even though nothing is plugged into it, i.e. just because your widget isn't plugged in doesn't mean the whole grid just shut down obviously. :) So there is still alternating voltage, as you indicate, you're just not tapping into it. Therefore, there is no current flowing, and thus no "alternating current".
Mike
from this point it just word games :) your AC is potentially there
current is the movement of electrons (or holes if you prefer)
voltage is derived from current.
AV means audio/visual
VA means volt-amps or veterans administration or Virginia
| On Mar 2, 4:35 am, "Chugga Chug" wrote: |> In this room I have a socket on the wall marked "230 V AC", but there is |> nothing plugged in. |>
|> If there is no load, then there is no current flow from the socket. If there |> can only be current flow into a load, then does this mean that I no longer |> have AC (alternating current)? |>
|> So why do we say AC, when we really mean AV? Just a thought! | | I can attempt to at least partially answer your question even without | my morning cup of coffee. :) | There is still voltage at those contacts even though nothing is | plugged into it, i.e. just because | your widget isn't plugged in doesn't mean the whole grid just shut | down obviously. :) So there | is still alternating voltage, as you indicate, you're just not tapping | into it. Therefore, there is | no current flowing, and thus no "alternating current".
Actually, there is alternating current flowing. How much depends on how far the wire runs. There's only voltage at the end, but there is current along the wires. It's called "charging current".
There's no current flowing out of the outlet because there's no load, but of course there is still something running through the supply line.
Actually there is voltage all along the wires also.
Ben Miller
Interesting response to a relatively meaningless question. Many thanks to you and all who have given their opinion. I shall refrain from asking if the generating company are not cheating me by selling me the same electrons, over and over again ;-)
CC
There is absolutely no reason why abbreviations cannot be re-used again and again. Take for example AA. This is a battery form designation, but it also means:
Amino Acid Anti-Aircraft Alcoholics Anonymous Automobile Association American Airlines Arabian Acoustics
Even the BBC would be horrified to read my dictionary of abbreviations. It also lists the "Belfast Boat Club"!
sure there is, accurate communication is needed. when the same sounds or abbreviations have different meanings within a related field coherent communication ceases.
--------- You are right in but you have to go back into history to determine how AC vs AV came about. Possibly it was because one can more easily measure current than voltage (most analog voltmeters are based on mechanical deflection due to a current through the meter). In any case it is likely that noone now alive knows why AC/DC was used in place of AV/DV. It is locked into the vocabulary to such an extent that there is no point in getting a hairy about it as that simply leads to more confusion. We have enough of that with "conventional" vs "electron" current or worse yet: "induced current" which, strictly speaking, doesn't exist but is commonly and erroneously used .
It is easy to be logical with 100+ years of hindsight- but then it is too late. --
Don Kelly snipped-for-privacy@shawcross.ca remove the X to answer
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----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Kelly" Newsgroups: alt.engineering.electrical Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 10:42 PM Subject: Re: Stupid qestion
back in those days, they were still working with static electricity, like high voltages built up on amber rubbed rapidly with wool, etc, and chemical batteries.... Batteries, have a "current" when connected in a complete loop from battery back to battery... a loop thru which there was a "current"... so maybe conceptually they thought more in terms of "current" than voltages that were sometimes "static", some times "steady", like "direct", and sometimes, the new fangled, "alternating".... which had some confounding advantage, for changing voltages and reducing losses due to currents in wires with resistances.... Maybe simple... needing a closed circuit for the current to flow thru.. New Jersey, usa
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