Final answer:
Electricity at home comes through AC power lines and is distributed via transformers, which lower the voltage to usable levels. Despite some energy loss as heat in transformers, transmitting electricity at high voltage is more efficient over long distances. The use of electric current and power is fundamental to daily life, powering a variety of appliances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Electricity is a form of energy that powers various appliances and devices in our homes, from dishwashers to cell phones. We gain access to electricity at home through a network of power lines that transmit alternating current (AC) to our neighborhoods. Local power stations and transformers then distribute this electricity to our homes. Transformers are essential in this process because they step down the voltage from the high levels used for efficient transmission across power lines to the standard voltage usable in our homes (110 volts in the U.S.). Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred in a circuit, and it allows us to use a wide range of appliances rated at different power levels.
Regarding why electricity is transported at high voltage and then stepped down, it's because transporting power at high voltage reduces heating losses and allows for more efficient transmission over great distances. Even though transformers generate some heat as the current flows through many turns of wire, the overall system efficiency is increased at high voltages.
Electricity at home is made possible through a complex infrastructure and the fundamental principles of physics, involving electric current, which is the movement of charge, and the associated electric power, which delivers the energy we need for our daily activities.