Circuits and Electricity

Force, Motion, and Energy

Two Kinds of Current

Lexile 750L

1 Look around you and name five things that use

electrical energy. What are they?

2 Many things use electricity, but not all electricity is the

same. There are two very different kinds of electricity.

3 Direct Current
The first kind of electricity is called direct current, or
DC. It is called direct because it flows from the
energy source to the device that uses it. Devices that
use batteries get their energy from direct current.
They are powered by this kind of electricity.
Flashlights and cameras are examples of devices that
use direct electric current.

4 A device that uses DC energy has a power source with a positive side and a negative side.
Look at a battery closely. You will find that it has a positive and negative side, too. When
putting batteries into a flashlight, you have to be careful to match the sides correctly, or else
the flashlight will not work.

5 Alternating Current
The other kind of electricity is called alternating current, or AC. Power plants produce this
type of electricity. It is carried by large power lines from the plant to your home. When you
plug a TV, a lamp, or a hair dryer into the wall socket, you are using this type of electricity.

6 AC energy cannot go right into TVs and lamps because it is too powerful. It first needs to
pass through a transformer. A transformer breaks the electricity down into smaller parts. The
transformer sends just the right amount of energy to your home. This prevents your alarm
clock from burning up!

7 Now look around you once again. Can you tell which things use DC electricity and which use
AC electricity?

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 Circuits and Electricity
Force, Motion, and Energy

1 The author organized this passage by:

A Contrasting DC and AC currents

B Describing the sequence of how power gets to your home

C Explaining the many uses of electricity

D Telling you the steps to create a circuit

2 Which of these household items is powered by alternating current?

A A flashlight

B A remote control

C A hair dryer

D A handheld video game

3 “A transformer breaks the electricity down into smaller parts. It sends just
the right amount of energy into your home.”
(sixth paragraph)

Why would a device start burning without the transformer?

A It would not work, and so people might throw it in the fireplace.

B The current would be so powerful that it would cause the device to

catch on fire.
C You would not be able to tell which way to plug in the device, so
there would be a spark on the wire.
D The battery would explode.

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 Circuits and Electricity
Force, Motion, and Energy

4 What should go in the empty box?

Electricity is produced at a plant

The transformer breaks the energy

into smaller parts

A The energy is stored in a battery.

B You plug in your toaster to use energy.

C Wind, coal, water, or nuclear plants generate electricity.

D The electricity travels through power lines.

5 Which of the following statements is true of DC and AC currents? They:

A Have positive and negative sides

B Provide power to devices when they are plugged into a wall

socket
C Are useful in homes

D Would not work without a transformer