| Latest revision |
Your text |
| Line 8: |
Line 8: |
| | | | |
| | ==Explanation== | | ==Explanation== |
| − | This is the sixth installment in the series of [[:Category:Cursed Connectors|Cursed Connectors]] and presents Cursed Connectors #120: Meta-alternating current extension cord. | + | {{incomplete|Created by a CHAIN OF INVERTERS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
| | + | This comic replaced [[No One Was Hurt]] as comic 2642 after the former was taken down from [[xkcd]]'s website. |
| | | | |
| − | {{w|Direct current}} is a unidirectional flow of electrons from a power source to something being powered, through one or more conductors, before returning to the power source via one or more other conductors, thus completing the circuit. Batteries produce direct current. It is commonly used in electronics applications, including computers. {{w|Alternating current}}, on the other hand, frequently reverses the direction of electron flow, and is commonly used for longer-distance transmission (such as from the power plant to an outlet). | + | In electronics, {{w|direct current}} is a constant flow of electrons from a power source to something being powered, before doubling back along the circuit. It is commonly used for battery-powered appliances. {{w|Alternating current}}, on the other hand, frequently reverses the flow of electrons, and is commonly used for longer-distance use (such as from the power plant to an outlet). |
| | | | |
| − | This comic proposes a humorous ''Meta-Alternating Current'', which uses a series of adapters to "alternate" between DC and AC current along the length of a connector. This is absurd in part because typical {{w|power inverter}} efficiency is 90%, and maximum {{w|bridge rectifier}} efficiency is about 99% for 120 V,{{actual citation needed}} so an {{w|extension cord}} made in this manner would lose about 11% power (compounded<!-- ...need a better word for this, but it's very much related to compound interest. It wouldn't be 100% loss after nine steps, but ~91% loss, i.e. 0.90*0.99)^9 -->) per such pair. For the wire shown in the comic, with seven pairs, the efficiency would be 0.89<sup>7</sup>, which is 0.45, that is, 45%. | + | This comic proposes a humorous interspersion, ''Meta-Alternating Current'', which uses a series of adapters to "alternate" between DC and AC current. This is funny because since typical {{w|power inverter}} efficiency is 90%, and maximum {{w|bridge rectifier}} efficiency is 81.2%, an {{w|extension cord}} made of them would lose about 27% power per such pair. |
| | | | |
| − | The title text bemoans that an inverter, which converts direct current to alternating current, does not work in the other direction, as a layman's interpretation of the word "inverter" might assume. Rather, a separate device, a {{w|rectifier}}, also pictured in the comic, must be used for this second conversion. (However, a similar circuit to an inverter may be used to rectify in a process called {{w|active rectification}}.) | + | The title text bemoans that an inverter, which converts direct current to alternating current, does not work in the other direction, as a layman's interpretation of the word "inverter" might appear. Rather, a separate device, a {{w|rectifier}}, also pictured in the comic, must be used for this second conversion. |
| | | | |
| | ==Transcript== | | ==Transcript== |
| − | :[Above the drawing there is a header. Below the header is a chain of rectifiers and inverters. There are seven pairs of rectifiers (the smaller ones) and inverters (the big chunky ones). The first five inverters have arrows pointing to them from a label above the chain, whereas the last five rectifiers are labeled below the chain, but also with arrows pointing to them from that label. The chain starts on the left with a mains plug (type B), followed by the first rectifier. It ends with the last inverter, and a female mains plug (type B socket) to the right. Beneath the chain there is label for the connector and an explanation in brackets below that.]
| + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
| − | :Cursed Connectors #120
| |
| − | :Inverters
| |
| − | :Rectifiers
| |
| − | :Meta-alternating current extension cord
| |
| − | :(alternates between AC and DC)
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Trivia==
| |
| − | *This comic replaced [[No One Was Hurt]] as comic 2642 after it was taken down from [[xkcd]]'s website.
| |
| − | **See why on that comic's explanation.
| |
| − | *This comic initially did not have a high-resolution (2x) image for high-DPI displays, making it look more blurry than usual on such devices (such as smartphones). This was probably because it was uploaded hastily to replace No One Was Hurt quickly. It has since been updated to include a high-resolution version.
| |
| | | | |
| | {{comic discussion}} | | {{comic discussion}} |
| − |
| |
| − | [[Category:Cursed Connectors]]
| |
