Final answer:
The statement is true; electric generators do provide a constant backup power supply when the main electricity goes out, by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
True. Generators do indeed provide a constant stream of backup power in case the electricity goes out, so the statement is true. Electric generators convert other sources of power into electrical energy. They contain wire loops in a magnetic field, and when these loops are rotated, typically by mechanical energy such as falling water (hydropower), steam from fossil fuels, or wind, they produce an alternating current (AC) voltage. This mechanical turning of the coil in the magnetic field induces an electromotive force (emf), described mathematically by the equation emf = NABθ sin ωt, where 'N' is the number of turns in the coil, 'A' is the area, 'B' is the magnetic field strength, 'θ' is the angle between the field and normal to the coil, and 'ωt' represents the angular frequency over time.
As an illustration, if a person in good physical condition can produce 100W of power, it would take 40 people to power a 4kW electric clothes dryer by pedaling mechanisms that drive electric generators. For a large electric power plant that generates 800MW, it would take 8 million such individuals.