We explain what direct current is and how it works. Also, the difference between direct current and alternating current.
What is direct current?
It is called direct current (DC) or direct current (DC) to a type of electric current, that is, to the flow of a electric charge through a conductive material, due to the displacement of a specified amount of electrons throughout its molecular structure. In the case of direct current, said flow of electrons is characterized by always having the same direction of circulation.
In other words, direct current implies the continuous transit of an electric charge between two points of the conductor that have different electric potential and charge, in such a way that it never changes with the weather.
This refers above all to the polarity of the charge, not its intensity: an electrical source that is depleted (such as a battery with little charge) remains continuous if the direction of the electrical flow does not vary: always from the positive to the negative pole ( assigned by convention).
Every electrical circuit has these poles (positive and negative) and is usually distinguished by colors (red and black, respectively), to prevent the electrical source from being inserted backwards and reversing the polarity, which would damage the circuit.
That's why the batteries of a device must go in the correct polar order for it to work, as there is a transformer-rectifier that prevents the reversed electrical flow.
In physical (theoretical) terms, the voltage of a direct current is represented on an x / y axis (voltage over time), as a straight line and without variations of any kind.
Difference between direct current and alternating current
Unlike direct current, which has the same polar direction in its flow of Energy, Alternating current (AC) is characterized by a regular and cyclical variation of its magnitude and direction over time.
This is the type of current that generally reaches homes and is used for various domestic functions, since it is much easier to transform than direct current, using transformers that allow the electrical voltage to be raised efficiently.
Direct current can be transformed into alternating current using a current inverter: which manages to change a type of electricity on the other, using a series of transformers, at various levels of voltage and frequency.