- #1
Crazeestuff
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I was recently informed that AC is the preferred method of transmitting power because it suffers significantly less power loss going from the generating station to where ever it needs to go when compared to DC losses.
In my introductory electricity class we learned that power through a given circuit follows P=IV where P is power, I is current, and R is the resistance.
So why would the power loss be different for an AC vs DC transmission?
For AC I know there would be a low amperage and a high voltage so that you could later step the current up through a transformer so that means a low current and high voltage.
DC would just be a high voltage and low current so either way we're stuck with the same power delivery.
Even going through the substitution of P=IV=I2R the last term across a load is still P=V2/R so I just don't see how there is any difference mathematically between AC and DC power losss across a resistor.
However, conceptually it does make sense. With more current, I conceptually see why more "collisions" would occur in the wire and cause more power loss but I can't wrap my head around it mathematically.
Any help is appreciated!
In my introductory electricity class we learned that power through a given circuit follows P=IV where P is power, I is current, and R is the resistance.
So why would the power loss be different for an AC vs DC transmission?
For AC I know there would be a low amperage and a high voltage so that you could later step the current up through a transformer so that means a low current and high voltage.
DC would just be a high voltage and low current so either way we're stuck with the same power delivery.
Even going through the substitution of P=IV=I2R the last term across a load is still P=V2/R so I just don't see how there is any difference mathematically between AC and DC power losss across a resistor.
However, conceptually it does make sense. With more current, I conceptually see why more "collisions" would occur in the wire and cause more power loss but I can't wrap my head around it mathematically.
Any help is appreciated!