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Phet explorations: generator

Generate electricity with a bar magnet! Discover the physics behind the phenomena by exploring magnets and how you can use them to make a bulb light.

Generator

Section summary

  • Direct current (DC) is the flow of electric current in only one direction. It refers to systems where the source voltage is constant.
  • The voltage source of an alternating current (AC) system puts out V = V 0 sin 2 π ft size 12{V = V rSub { size 8{0} } "sin2"π ital "ft"} {} , where V size 12{V} {} is the voltage at time t size 12{t} {} , V 0 size 12{V rSub { size 8{0} } } {} is the peak voltage, and f size 12{f} {} is the frequency in hertz.
  • In a simple circuit, I = V/R size 12{I = ital "V/R"} {} and AC current is I = I 0 sin 2 π ft size 12{I = I rSub { size 8{0} } "sin2"π ital "ft"} {} , where I size 12{I} {} is the current at time t size 12{t} {} , and I 0 = V 0 /R size 12{I rSub { size 8{0} } = V rSub { size 8{0} } ital "/R"} {} is the peak current.
  • The average AC power is P ave = 1 2 I 0 V 0 size 12{P rSub { size 8{"ave"} } = { {1} over {2} } I rSub { size 8{0} } V rSub { size 8{0} } } {} .
  • Average (rms) current I rms size 12{I rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } {} and average (rms) voltage V rms size 12{V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } {} are I rms = I 0 2 size 12{I rSub { size 8{"rms"} } = { {I rSub { size 8{0} } } over { sqrt {2} } } } {} and V rms = V 0 2 size 12{V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } = { {V rSub { size 8{0} } } over { sqrt {2} } } } {} , where rms stands for root mean square.
  • Thus, P ave = I rms V rms size 12{P rSub { size 8{"ave"} } = I rSub { size 8{"rms"} } V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } {} .
  • Ohm’s law for AC is I rms = V rms R size 12{I rSub { size 8{"rms"} } = { {V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } over {R} } } {} .
  • Expressions for the average power of an AC circuit are P ave = I rms V rms , P ave = V rms 2 R , and P ave = I rms 2 R , analogous to the expressions for DC circuits.

Conceptual questions

Give an example of a use of AC power other than in the household. Similarly, give an example of a use of DC power other than that supplied by batteries.

Why do voltage, current, and power go through zero 120 times per second for 60-Hz AC electricity?

You are riding in a train, gazing into the distance through its window. As close objects streak by, you notice that the nearby fluorescent lights make dashed streaks. Explain.

Problem exercises

(a) What is the hot resistance of a 25-W light bulb that runs on 120-V AC? (b) If the bulb’s operating temperature is 2700º C , what is its resistance at 2600º C ?

Certain heavy industrial equipment uses AC power that has a peak voltage of 679 V. What is the rms voltage?

480 V

A certain circuit breaker trips when the rms current is 15.0 A. What is the corresponding peak current?

Military aircraft use 400-Hz AC power, because it is possible to design lighter-weight equipment at this higher frequency. What is the time for one complete cycle of this power?

2.50 ms

A North American tourist takes his 25.0-W, 120-V AC razor to Europe, finds a special adapter, and plugs it into 240 V AC. Assuming constant resistance, what power does the razor consume as it is ruined?

In this problem, you will verify statements made at the end of the power losses for [link] . (a) What current is needed to transmit 100 MW of power at a voltage of 25.0 kV? (b) Find the power loss in a 1 . 00 - Ω size 12{1 "." "00"- %OMEGA } {} transmission line. (c) What percent loss does this represent?

(a) 4.00 kA

(b) 16.0 MW

(c) 16.0%

A small office-building air conditioner operates on 408-V AC and consumes 50.0 kW. (a) What is its effective resistance? (b) What is the cost of running the air conditioner during a hot summer month when it is on 8.00 h per day for 30 days and electricity costs 9.00 cents /kW h size 12{9 "." "00"" cents/kw" cdot h} {} ?

What is the peak power consumption of a 120-V AC microwave oven that draws 10.0 A?

2.40 kW

What is the peak current through a 500-W room heater that operates on 120-V AC power?

Two different electrical devices have the same power consumption, but one is meant to be operated on 120-V AC and the other on 240-V AC. (a) What is the ratio of their resistances? (b) What is the ratio of their currents? (c) Assuming its resistance is unaffected, by what factor will the power increase if a 120-V AC device is connected to 240-V AC?

(a) 4.0

(b) 0.50

(c) 4.0

Nichrome wire is used in some radiative heaters. (a) Find the resistance needed if the average power output is to be 1.00 kW utilizing 120-V AC. (b) What length of Nichrome wire, having a cross-sectional area of 5.00 mm 2 size 12{5 "." "00"" mm" rSup { size 8{2} } } {} , is needed if the operating temperature is 500º C size 12{"500"°C} {} ? (c) What power will it draw when first switched on?

Find the time after t = 0 size 12{t=0} {} when the instantaneous voltage of 60-Hz AC first reaches the following values: (a) V 0 / 2 size 12{V rSub { size 8{0} } /2} {} (b) V 0 size 12{V rSub { size 8{0} } } {} (c) 0.

(a) 1.39 ms

(b) 4.17 ms

(c) 8.33 ms

(a) At what two times in the first period following t = 0 size 12{t=0} {} does the instantaneous voltage in 60-Hz AC equal V rms size 12{V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } {} ? (b) V rms size 12{-V rSub { size 8{"rms"} } } {} ?

Questions & Answers

A golfer on a fairway is 70 m away from the green, which sits below the level of the fairway by 20 m. If the golfer hits the ball at an angle of 40° with an initial speed of 20 m/s, how close to the green does she come?
Aislinn Reply
cm
tijani
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John Reply
what is physics
Siyaka Reply
A mouse of mass 200 g falls 100 m down a vertical mine shaft and lands at the bottom with a speed of 8.0 m/s. During its fall, how much work is done on the mouse by air resistance
Jude Reply
Can you compute that for me. Ty
Jude
what is the dimension formula of energy?
David Reply
what is viscosity?
David
what is inorganic
emma Reply
what is chemistry
Youesf Reply
what is inorganic
emma
Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the study of matter,it composition,it structure and the changes it undergoes
Adjei
please, I'm a physics student and I need help in physics
Adjanou
chemistry could also be understood like the sexual attraction/repulsion of the male and female elements. the reaction varies depending on the energy differences of each given gender. + masculine -female.
Pedro
A ball is thrown straight up.it passes a 2.0m high window 7.50 m off the ground on it path up and takes 1.30 s to go past the window.what was the ball initial velocity
Krampah Reply
2. A sled plus passenger with total mass 50 kg is pulled 20 m across the snow (0.20) at constant velocity by a force directed 25° above the horizontal. Calculate (a) the work of the applied force, (b) the work of friction, and (c) the total work.
Sahid Reply
you have been hired as an espert witness in a court case involving an automobile accident. the accident involved car A of mass 1500kg which crashed into stationary car B of mass 1100kg. the driver of car A applied his brakes 15 m before he skidded and crashed into car B. after the collision, car A s
Samuel Reply
can someone explain to me, an ignorant high school student, why the trend of the graph doesn't follow the fact that the higher frequency a sound wave is, the more power it is, hence, making me think the phons output would follow this general trend?
Joseph Reply
Nevermind i just realied that the graph is the phons output for a person with normal hearing and not just the phons output of the sound waves power, I should read the entire thing next time
Joseph
Follow up question, does anyone know where I can find a graph that accuretly depicts the actual relative "power" output of sound over its frequency instead of just humans hearing
Joseph
"Generation of electrical energy from sound energy | IEEE Conference Publication | IEEE Xplore" ***ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7150687?reload=true
Ryan
what's motion
Maurice Reply
what are the types of wave
Maurice
answer
Magreth
progressive wave
Magreth
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Muhammad Reply
fine, how about you?
Mohammed
hi
Mujahid
A string is 3.00 m long with a mass of 5.00 g. The string is held taut with a tension of 500.00 N applied to the string. A pulse is sent down the string. How long does it take the pulse to travel the 3.00 m of the string?
yasuo Reply
Who can show me the full solution in this problem?
Reofrir Reply
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Source:  OpenStax, Physics of the world around us. OpenStax CNX. May 21, 2015 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11797/1.1
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