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Idea04
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What is the difference between 60Hz voltage and 60Hz current. I know that 60Hz current i believe that 60Hz current is the pulsations of the current. But can someone clear up 60Hz voltage.
NoTime said:You will always have voltage as long as the power source is energized.
You will only have current if there is a load.
Do you understand the difference between voltage and current?Idea04 said:What is the difference between 60Hz voltage and 60Hz current. I know that 60Hz current i believe that 60Hz current is the pulsations of the current. But can someone clear up 60Hz voltage.
NoTime said:You will always have voltage as long as the power source is energized.
You will only have current if there is a load.
rbj said:only if the power source is a "voltage source" and "a load" is some non-infinite impedance.
you can also have a current source and in that context, "no load" is a short circuit. then you can say that you will always have current as long as the power source is energized, and you will only have voltage if there is a load.
DaveC426913 said:Do you understand the difference between voltage and current?
Voltage is the potential energy, current is the flow of energy.
A high current, low voltage source such as your car battery (15A, 12V) could kill you.
While a low current, high voltage source such as a static shock (~0A, 30,000V) is pretty harmless.
Yah, I just wonder if there's an analogy out there that doesn't use the words "bunghole" and "clench" in the same breath. (That's me, ever a constructive comment...)Palama said:The basic analogy is the water analogy for understanding current and voltage.
You have a 55 gallon drum, and a bunghole tapped at the bottom with a hose connected to it and a sprayer on the end of the hose. The height of the water level in the drum is your potential energy, the higher the level the more energy you have due to gravity. This represents voltage potential. there is water in the hose, even though the sprayer handle is off, so the water being there is the potential energy existing, or the voltage. When you open the valve on the end of the sprayer water pours out, now you have flow, which would be your current. So you can see now how you can have voltage but no current (no water flow).
HI I am new and am basically trying to learn more about electricity and physics because I am a musician and really love tube amps. Just wanted to say that this last use of the water analogy really clenched it for me. Took me a while but now i think I get it.
thanks!
rpkamins said:You can also limit current using a PWM. In this case, the voltage remains the same, but is switched on and off several thousand times per second. In essence, this could give you 60 hz current, however you would still have 60 hz voltage as well. The important point is that you can control the current without sacrificing voltage or loosing power through resistance. Also, pertaining to the car battery post. If you cause a short across a car battery, and you come into contact with that, you can generate a huge amount of voltage in your body (because of the high resistance) which will definitely kill you.
rpkamins said:You can also limit current using a PWM. In this case, the voltage remains the same, but is switched on and off several thousand times per second. In essence, this could give you 60 hz current, however you would still have 60 hz voltage as well. The important point is that you can control the current without sacrificing voltage or loosing power through resistance. Also, pertaining to the car battery post. If you cause a short across a car battery, and you come into contact with that, you can generate a huge amount of voltage in your body (because of the high resistance) which will definitely kill you.
DaveC426913 said:Yah, I just wonder if there's an analogy out there that doesn't use the words "bunghole" and "clench" in the same breath. (That's me, ever a constructive comment...)
Current is the flow of electrical charge, measured in amperes (A). Voltage is the force that pushes the current, measured in volts (V). In simple terms, current is the amount of electricity flowing through a circuit, while voltage is the pressure that drives this flow.
Current and voltage are directly proportional to each other, meaning that as one increases, the other will also increase. This relationship is described by Ohm's Law: V = IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance.
60Hz refers to the frequency at which alternating current (AC) cycles in a circuit. In the United States, the standard frequency for AC power is 60Hz, meaning that the direction of current flow changes 60 times per second. This frequency is important for the efficient transmission and use of electricity.
The amount of current and voltage required for an electrical device to function properly depends on its design. Some devices, such as light bulbs, require a higher voltage to operate, while others, such as smartphones, require a lower voltage. However, too much current or voltage can damage an electrical device, so it is important to use the correct amount.
Most household appliances are designed to operate at 60Hz frequency, which is the standard in the United States. This frequency allows for efficient and stable operation of appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, and televisions. If the frequency is too low or too high, it can cause malfunctions or even damage to these appliances.