One of two types of electrical flow, direct current (DC) predates alternating current. Unlike alternating current, direct current flows in only one direction. Current is measured in amperes, frequently shortened to "amps," which is the amount of...

An electric current that flows only in one direction. As a consequence it has a generally even flow and is not transmitted in pulses. See also: ALTERNATING...

The first commercial electric power transmission (developed by Thomas Edison in the late nineteenth century) used direct current. Because of the advantage of alternating current over direct current in transforming and transmission, electric power...

MAY 2003 COUNTERFEIT ELECTRONIC PARTS are among products reportedly being made in the U.S. and sold in global markets. The National Association of Manufacturers is urging the Congress and the Administration to take action to stop the counterfeiting, which it says is affecting...

Nondestructive testing needs an effective, inexpensive way of detecting deeply buried or small cracks at the edges of metallic parts and structures. One solution comes in the form of solid-state magnetic sensors based on giant magnetoresistance (GMR) and spin-dependent tunneling (SDT) effects integrated...

The following recalls have been announced:_About 4,100 Pirates of the Caribbean sleeping bags, made in China and imported by Hoop Retail Stores LLC, because the surface paint on the sleeping bag's zipper pull has high levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by children....

Q: Does my cell-phone charger consume electricity if I leave it plugged in to the wall when it's not charging the phone?A: It probably doesn't consume a significant amount, unless you have a really old cell phone. You may have heard that "all power adapters...