Lost in transmission: first, read the special report "Blackout 2004?" (p. 4) to learn about how electricity is generated and supplied. Then study the diagram below to answer the questions that follow.1. An electric grid transfers electricity from -- to --. 2. Which part of the grid carries the highest voltage?-- 3. True or false: You would likely never know if a power plant near you was shut down for repairs.-- 4. In general, two kinds of power lines exist: high and low voltage Low voltage is an electrical engineering term that broadly identifies safety considerations of an electricity supply system based on the voltage used. While different definitions exist for the exact voltage range covered by "low voltage", the most commonly used ones include "mains . Where would you expect to find low voltage lines?-- 5. If everyone lived next door to a power plant, which area of the grid would no longer be necessary?-- HOW DO I GET ELECTRICITY? Everything from the generator generator, in electricity, machine used to change mechanical energy into electrical energy. It operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction, discovered (1831) by Michael Faraday. at the power plant to your TV is part of a grid that shuttles electricity across the nation. The grid allows different places to share power whenever needed. Usually, if a power plant or high-voltage line has to be shut down for repairs, other parts of the grid can make up for the loss. 1 POWER PLANT A plant converts heat into electricity. Most power plants burn fossil fuels fossil fuel: see energy, sources of; fuel. fossil fuel Any of a class of materials of biologic origin occurring within the Earth's crust that can be used as a source of energy. Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. like coal, oil, or gas for heat. 2 STEP-UP TRANSFORMER Noun 1. step-up transformer - a transformer that increases voltage cascade transformer - a number of transformers in series; provides a high-voltage source A step-up transformer cranks up the voltage, or the force of electrical current. This jolt sends the current over long distances, but it also generates massive heat in the wires. 3 TRANSMISSION LINES More than 960,000 km (600,000 mi) of power lines crisscross the U.S.--enough wire to circle the Earth 26 times. The lines can carry up to 300,000 volts of electricity, making them extremely dangerous Exteremely Dangerous is a 1999 four part series for ITV starring Sean Bean as an ex-MI5 undercover agent convicted of the brutal murder of his wife and child who goes on the run to try and clear his name. He sets out to follow up a strange clue sent to him in prison. . 4 STEP-DOWN TRANSFORMER Noun 1. step-down transformer - a transformer that reduces voltage transformer - an electrical device by which alternating current of one voltage is changed to another voltage Because electrical appliances can't handle so much power, the voltage is reduced to a few thousand volts at a step-down transformer before it's delivered to homes and businesses. 5 CUSTOMERS When electricity is finally delivered to neighborhoods, it's a safe 240 or 120V--the right level to power factories, offices, homes, and mass transit mass transit, public transportation systems designed to move large numbers of passengers. Types and Advantages Mass transit refers to municipal or regional public shared transportation, such as buses, streetcars, and ferries, open to all on a . 1. power plants; customers, homes, TV, etc. 2. transmission lines 3. true 4. near customers, homes, and businesses, etc. 5. step-up transformer |
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