Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
Email Address: cbsua.sipocot@cbsua.edu.ph
Trunkline: (054) 881-6681

Alternating Current Direct Current

1. AC is safe to be transferred over
longer distance even between two cities
and can maintain the electric power.
2. The rotating magnets cause the
change in direction of electric flow.
3. The frequency of AC is dependent
upon the country. But, generally, the
frequency is 50 Hz or 60 Hz.
4. In AC the flow of current changes its
direction forward and backward
periodically.
5. Electrons in AC keep changing their
directions – backward and forward.
College: Information Technology
Department: Information Technology
1. DC cannot travel for a very long
distance. It loses electric power.
2. The steady magnetism makes DC flow
in a single direction.
3. DC has no frequency or zero
frequency.
4. It flows in a single direction steadily.
5. Electrons only move in one direction
which is forward.

Subject: ELECTRONICS PRINCIPLE AND APPLICATION2

1st Semester, SY 2022- 2023
Post Competency Checklist 1.1

MIND MAP
1. List down the difference of :

2. What are the advantages and dis advantages?

a. Alternating Current
Advantages:

1. The ac is easy to generate than dc.

2. The ac generators have higher efficiency than dc.
3. The loss of energy during transmission is negligible for ac.
4. A.C. can easily be converted into D.C. with the help of rectifiers.
5. A wide range of voltages is obtained by the use of a transformer.
 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
Email Address: cbsua.sipocot@cbsua.edu.ph
Trunkline: (054) 881-6681

Disadvantages:

1. The peak value of A.C. is high and it is dangerous to use so better

insulation is required.
2. It attracts a person who touches it, unlike D.C. which gives a repelling
shock.
3. An A.C. is transmitted from the surface of the conductor and hence need
several strands of thin wires insulated from each other.
4. The construction of AC transmission lines is more complicated than the
DC transmission lines.
5. AC transmission lines require more conductor material than the DC
transmission lines as three wire are required for AC transmission.

b. Direct Current
Advantages:
1. There is no capacitance in the DC transmission. Therefore, there is no
power loss due to the charging current.
2. There is no inductance, phase displacement, and surge problems in the
DC transmission.
3. For the same sending end voltage and load conditions, the voltage drop in
the DC transmission line is less than the AC transmission line. It is
because of the absence of inductance in DC transmission line.
4. A DC transmission line has better voltage regulation than an AC
transmission line.
5. For the same voltage, A DC transmission system requires less insulation
material because the potential stress on the insulation is less in case of
DC transmission system than that in AC transmission system.

Dis advantages:
1. Electric power cannot be generated at high DC voltage because of
commutation problems.
2. DC switchgears have their own limitations and they are also expensive
than the AC one.
3. DC voltage cannot be directly step-up or step-down for transmitting the
power at high voltages and for distributing it at low voltages.
Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
Impig, Sipocot, Camarines Sur 4408
Website: www.cbsua.edu.ph
Email Address: cbsua.sipocot@cbsua.edu.ph
Trunkline: (054) 881-6681

4. It requires extra equipment such rectifier and inverter, etc. which increases
the cost of transmission.
5. Generation of power at high dc voltages is difficult due to commutation
problems and cannot be usefully utilized at Consumer ends.