Question

Nikola Tesla famously feuded with Thomas Edison on whether electricity should be alternating current or direct current. Which side was Tesla on: AC or DC?

1) Alternating Current (AC)
2) Direct Current (DC)

Answer 1

Nikola Tesla supported Alternating Current (AC) in the feud known as the War of the Currents. Despite Thomas Edison's initial resistance and PR campaigns against AC, it prevailed due to its ability to transmit over long distances and efficient use with transformers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Nikola Tesla and the War of the Currents

Nikola Tesla was a proponent of Alternating Current (AC), which opposed Thomas Edison's support for Direct Current (DC). The battle between AC and DC power systems during the late 1800s and early 1900s is known as the War of the Currents. Tesla, alongside George Westinghouse, advocated for AC due to its capability of long-distance transmission and efficiency with transformers. Despite Edison's aggressive PR campaigns against AC, including its association with the electric chair, AC emerged victorious due to its technical superiority and became the primary method for electrical distribution globally.

While Edison had initially set up a DC power-distribution system, which he believed to be safer, he ultimately conceded to the rising popularity and advantages of AC power. The development of AC systems by Westinghouse and Tesla transformed not only the urban centers by providing extensive reach but also revolutionized the industrial sector, allowing factories to run non-stop and increasing the production manifold.