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AC- Alternating Current. This is when the direction that the current flows in changes, known as a polarity switch. The rate at which the flow changes is known as the frequency. AC is used to transport current over long distances, is more favorable to work with when generating magnetic fields, and is what we get from outlets. AC can be converted to DC with a transformer.
The frequency and voltage can be graphed to give us a better understanding of what the current flow is doing. This graph is called a waveform.
DC- Direct Current. This is when current flows in one continuous direction. This is the type of current we see in batteries and is more common to use in circuits. This is the current you will most likely use.
There are many types of waveforms, but 4 of the easiest and most common are sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waves. The high point is when the current is fully flowing in one direction, and the low point is when the current is fully flowing in the opposite. Often one is labelled as positive voltage, and the other as negative voltage. In a sine wave, the voltage varies according to the sine function. In a square wave, the voltage is always either at the maximum or the minimum, no in between. A triangle wave rises and drops in a linear fashion. A sawtooth wave rises like a triangle, but drop like a square wave.
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