Alternating Current (AC)

Hello, I'm Wiggle Power!

Hi there. You can call me AC, but my full name is Alternating Current. I am a type of electricity, and I have a special secret. Instead of running in a straight line, I like to wiggle and dance. This happy wiggle gives me lots of energy and lets me travel super, super far without getting tired. My cousin is named Direct Current, or DC for short. He's also a type of electricity, but he only likes to run in one direction. He’s very fast for a short distance, but he gets sleepy pretty quickly and can’t travel very far. My wiggle is what makes me special, and it helps me bring power to places my cousin DC could only dream of reaching.

A Big Idea and a Big Debate

I had a wonderful friend named Nikola Tesla who was a brilliant inventor. Back in the 1880s, he saw how special my wiggle-dance was. He said, “AC, you can bring light and power to everyone, everywhere.”. He dreamed of a world where I could travel through thin wires to light up entire cities and power amazing machines in factories. But not everyone agreed with him. Another very famous inventor, Thomas Edison, was best friends with my cousin, DC. He thought DC’s straight-line run was the best way to go. This started a big debate called the 'War of the Currents.'. It wasn't a real war with fighting, of course. It was more like a friendly race to see whose idea could help the world the most. I was a little nervous, but I knew Nikola’s idea was a big one that could change everything.

My Time to Shine!

Just when I needed it, another smart man named George Westinghouse came along. He listened to Nikola Tesla’s ideas and believed in me. He knew my wiggle power was strong enough to light up the world. Together, they got a very important job. They were asked to light up the gigantic Chicago World's Fair in 1893. It was my big moment, my time to shine. That night, I danced through miles of wires and when the switch was flipped, I made thousands and thousands of light bulbs glow all at once. The fairgrounds lit up like a magical wonderland. People gasped and cheered. They had never seen so much bright, steady light before. I showed the whole world that I could travel far and bring my energy to everyone.

Powering Your World

Because of that amazing night, I became the electricity that powers your world today. I am the energy that flows safely through the walls of your house. I wiggle my way to your lamps so you can read, to your refrigerator to keep your food cold, and to your television and video games for fun. I am happy that Nikola Tesla's big idea worked. It reminds us all that one person's bright idea can light up the entire world. And who knows. Maybe your bright idea will be the next one to change everything for the better.