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level: Electricity and the National Grid

Questions and Answers List

level questions: Electricity and the National Grid

QuestionAnswer
What is an Alternating Current?-This is simply a Current that Keeps Changing its Direction
In the UK, Whets the Current and Voltage in Homes? [Your Plugs]-The Current is 50 Hz [Alternating] and the Voltage is 230 V
What is a Direct Current?-This is simply a Current that DOESN'T Change its Direction
What happens if you put a: -Alternating Voltage [A Potential Difference that keeps Changing Direction] -Direct Voltage [A Potential Different that DOESN'T Change its Direction] In a CRO [Simply, what would it look like in a Graph]-The Alternating Voltage would simply be a Wave, that goes Up and Down in a Regular Pattern. If its Parallel then No Electricity will be Made [It ain't Moving] -The Direct Voltage would simply be a Line, that is Constant. That's it
What is the National Grid? How can it Help with Getting Electricity around?-First, the National Grid is just a Grid, or System of Wires and Transformers that Links up the Power Statins to Consumers, You -It Achieves this by Transferring Energy Electrically, from the Power Station [Supplier] to the Consumers [Demand]
What happens if you have a High Current? What is used instead to get Electricity around?-If you want to Transmit Lots of Power, you either need a Massive Pd, or Current -If you have a High Current, you will be Heating up the Wires more, as Energy is Transferred from the Electrical Store, to the Thermal Store of Surroundings. This can be seen with Maths as P = I² x R. R is Resistance so a Lower Resistance can be Lower Losses -However, boosting the Pd, is much more Cheaper, so that's why its 400,000 Volts in the Wire as its being Distributed [Not to Houses that's Different] [Remeber a High Potential Difference = a Lower Current.]
How can Transformers help with Distributing Electricity and the National Grid?-If we want the Voltage very High [400,000 V] then we need to use Transformers, with Pylons that have Insulators -Transformers have 2 Coils, Primary and Secondary, and a Iron Core which Joins them Together. -A STEP UP Transformer INCREASES the Potential Difference, which is Useful in this Case. They do this by having more Turns on the Secondary Coil -A STEP DOWN Transformer DECREASES the Potential Difference, which is Useful when near our Consumers. They do this by having more Turns on the Primary Coil.
Give the Formula for Transformers in terms of Power. Why is it like that?Pd Across the Primary Coil x Current in the Primary Coil = Pd Across the Secondary Coil x Current in the Secondary Coil -This is the Formula because the Power in the Primary Coil = Power in the Secondary Coil [It can be lower in Reality as Energy can be Lost to Surroundings or to Wasted Stores]