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Alternating Current
"I do not regret that others have stolen my
ideas, rather than why they haven't their own." - Nikola
Tesla
Alternating Current vs Direct Current
Source: http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/162599/why-is-dc-voltage-called-direct-current/162605
- Alternating current is the one of the most important inventions for the world that Tesla invented. He understood that AC was a more efficient way to drive motors and power lighting. Even more important, AC could be "stepped up" using coils of wires. Through induction, low voltage in one coil was transformed to high voltage in another. High voltage current could travel through wires more efficiently, then be stepped down for household use.
Edison's direct current (DC) could not be stepped up and to transmit it more than a few miles required even thicker wires which resulted to be more expensive than Tesla's AC current.
- Even though Edison tried a couple of times to tell the world how much dangerous is the AC current with doing some experiments to animals, the usage of the AC current continued to spread. Also, Nikola Tesla as a proof that AC current is perfectly safe if it's used properly, he shooted current through his own body to produce light from a light bulb that he was holding with his hand.