What is an Alternating Current (AC) and Direct Current (DC)?

 Electric current flows in two ways as an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). In alternating current, current keeps switching directions periodically – forward and backward. While in the direct current it flows in a single direction steadily. The main difference between AC and DC lies in the direction in which the electrons flow. In DC, the electrons flow steadily in a single direction while electrons keep switching directions, going forward and then backwards in AC. Let us learn more differences between them in the next few sections.

What is an Alternating Current (AC)?

In alternating current, the electric charges flow changes its direction periodically. AC is the most commonly used and most preferred electric power for household equipment, office, and buildings, etc. It was first tested, based on the principles of Michael Faraday in 1832 using a Dynamo Electric Generator.

Alternating current can be identified in waveform called a sine wave, in other words, it can be said as the curved line. These curved lines represent electric cycles and are measured per second. The measurement is read as Hertz or Hz. AC is used to powerhouses and buildings etc because generating and transporting AC across long distances is relatively easy. AC is capable of powering electric motors which are used on refrigerators, washing machine, etc

What is Direct Current (DC)?

Unlike alternating current, the flow of direct current does not change periodically. The current electricity flows in a single direction in a steady voltage. The major use of DC is to supply power for electrical devices and also to charge batteries. Example: mobile phone batteries, flashlights, flat-screen television, and electric vehicles. DC has the combination of plus and minus sign, a dotted line or a straight line.

Everything that runs on a battery and uses an AC adapter while plugging into a wall or uses a USB cable for power relies on DC. Examples would be cellphones, electric vehicles, flashlights, flat-screen TVs (AC goes into the TV and is converted into DC).

Frequently Asked Questions on Difference Between AC and DC

Why AC cannot be stored in batteries instead of DC?

It is important to understand that batteries do not store the energy directly in them. They store electrical energy in the form of chemical energy. The positive terminal of an AC source is connected to the positive terminal of the battery and the negative terminal of an AC source is connected to the negative terminal of the battery. The current starts to flow. But, AC changes its polarity and there is no actual supply of the energy. This is because the positive half cycle cancel outs the negative half cycle. If this process continues, it can damage the battery. Therefore, AC is not stored in batteries.

What are the advantages of AC over DC?

Following are the advantages of alternating current over direct current:

• AC is less expensive and easy to generate than DC.
• The distance covered by AC is more than that of the DC.
• The power loss during transmission in AC is less when compared to the DC.

Why is the use of AC voltage preferred over DC voltage?

There are two reasons why the use of AC voltage is preferred over DC voltage:

• The loss of energy during the transmission in AC voltage is less when compared with the DC voltage and this makes its installations easy when the transformers are at distance.
• AC voltage has the advantage of stepping up and stepping down as per the requirement.

What is watt less current?

Wattles’s current is defined as the current in an AC circuit when the average power consumption is zero.

What will be the value of the power factor in the circuit when it is at resonance?

The value of the power factor in the circuit when it is at resonance will be 1.

Give reasons for loss in energy in the transformer.

Following are the reasons due to which there is loss in energy in the transformer:

• Hysteresis
• Eddy current loss
• Leakage of flux

Daily updates 18 April 2021

New Delhi:

India saw the deadliest day of the pandemic as 1,501 deaths were recorded in the last 24 hours. The country also recorded the biggest daily surge in cases with 2,61,500 infections, taking the caseload to 1.47 crore total cases.

1. This is the fourth straight day when over 2 lakh cases have been recorded. Over 12 lakh cases have been added to the caseload in the last one week.
2. Maharashtra (67,123), Uttar Pradesh (27,734), Delhi (24,375), Karnataka (17,489), and Chhattisgarh (16,083) are the five states that recorded the highest number of cases since yesterday.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held a high-level review meet to review the Covid situation. "PM Modi spoke about the need to utilize the full potential of India's pharmaceutical industry to meet the rising demand of various medicines," said a government statement.
4. "Like we did last year, we will successfully fight COVID with even greater speed and coordination," PM Modi said in a tweet after the meeting.
5. Amid the fresh surge, shortage of medical oxygen and vaccines are some of the concerns red-flagged by the states. Night curfews, weekend curfews are back in the states witnessing a surge.
6. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called the situation "very serious and worrisome". On Saturday, he gave a dire warning saying that the city was fast running out of beds, oxygen and the life-saving drug Remdesivir. ""Any health infrastructure has limitations," he said in a video briefing.
7. Kerala also recorded 13,800 fresh infections in the biggest-ever spike in cases. The state - which held a two-day mass testing drive - has vaccinated around 13.78% of its population, however, there are reports of shortage of vaccines at several centres and restrictions on the dosages.
8. After frightening visuals of tens of thousands of pilgrims participating in Kumbh Mela triggered concerns, PM Modi yesterday morning appealed that the festival "should now only be symbolic". Swami Avdheshanand Giri - one of the top seers in the country - announced an early exit from the month-long mega festival after PM Modi's appeal.
9. The fresh surge in infections in the last few weeks came after schools and colleges were reopened. Speaking to NDTV, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday said the trend is worrying. Many states - including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi - have temporarily discontinued physical classes.
10. The government is under attack from the opposition parties over the handling of Covid. "Despite a year to prepare, we have, regrettably, been caught off guard again," Congress chief Sonia Gandhi said yesterday at the meeting of the Congress Working Commitee on the second wave.

Daily updates 13 April 2021

13 April 2021
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13th April 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Here is the Daily GK Update of 13th April 2021 covering the following news headlines: BAFTA Awards 2021, Sputnik V, Lilavati Awards 2020, Axis Bank, Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 13th April 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

International News

1. Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ unveiled in Bangladesh

• A Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ has launched in Bangladesh by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) of the High Commission of India.
• The Sanskrit learning app is part of the campaign being run by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to promote the Sanskrit language among students, religious scholars, Indologists and historians across the world.
• The Sanskrit learning app ‘Little Guru’ is based on an interactive platform that will make Sanskrit learning easy, entertaining and fun.
• This app will help people who are already learning Sanskrit or those who are desirous to learn Sanskrit to do so in an easy manner based on games, competition, rewards, peer to peer interactions, etc.
• This App combines education with entertainment, said a press release issued by the High Commission of India.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina; Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka.
• President of Bangladesh: Abdul Hamid.

State News

2. Ghaziabad issues India’s first municipal green bonds

• Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam (GNN) has announced successfully raising and listing India’s first Green Municipal bond issue. GNN raised ₹150 crores at a cost of 8.1 per cent.
• Money will be used to clean up dirty water by setting up a tertiary water treatment plant and supply piped water through water meters to places like Sahibabad.
• Ghaziabad is debt-free and has maintained a revenue surplus position in the last few years, according to India Ratings.

Appointments News

3. Poonam Gupta to head NCAER as its first woman DG

• Poonam Gupta will be the new director-general of the policy think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
• Gupta will succeed the current head of the think tank, Shekhar Shah, to become the first woman to hold the post. Currently, Gupta is the lead economist at the World Bank in Washington DC.
• Prior to joining the World Bank in 2013, she was the Reserve Bank of India Chair Professor at the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and a professor of macroeconomics at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• NCAER Headquarters: New Delhi.
• NCAER Founded: 1956.

4. Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra named as next Chief Election Commissioner

• The incumbent Election Commissioner (EC) Sushil Chandra has been named to become the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India. He will assume charge with effect from April 13, 2021. He will replace incumbent CEC, Sunil Arora, who will retire on April 12, 2021.
• The Election Commission of India consists of three members, namely Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners. The two ECs are Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Chandra.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Election Commission Formed: 25 January 1950;
• Election Commission Headquarters: New Delhi;
• First executive of Election Commission: Sukumar Sen.

Agreements News

5. Bharti AXA Life and Fincare SFB join hands for bancassurance partnership

• Bharti Axa Life and Fincare Small Finance Bank have joined hands for a bancassurance partnership under which the bank will sell insurance policies to its customers. This alliance will make life insurance solutions reachable to over 26.5 lakhs customers of Fincare Small Finance Bank and provide financial security to them.
• Under the partnership, Bharti AXA Life Insurance will offer its comprehensive suite of life insurance products, including protection, savings and investment plans, to the customers of Fincare Small Finance Bank across its 747 branches and digital network presence across the country.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• MD and CEO of Bharti AXA Life Insurance: Parag Raja;
• MD & CEO Fincare Small Finance Bank: Rajeev Yadav.

Banking News

6. Axis Bank becomes co-promoter of Max Life Insurance

• Axis Bank Ltd informed it has become co-promoters of Max Life Insurance Company Limited, after completion of the acquisition of 12.99% stake collectively by the Axis Entities in the company. Axis Bank and its two subsidiaries Axis Capital Limited and Axis Securities Limited will collectively own a 12.99% stake in Max Life after the consummation of the deal.
• The Axis Entities have a right to acquire an additional stake of up to 7% in Max Life, in one or more tranches, subject to regulatory approvals. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) gave its formal approval in February of 2021.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Max Life Insurance CEO: Prashant Tripathy;
• Max Life Insurance Founded: 2001;
• Max Life Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi;
• Axis Bank CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry;
• Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
• Axis Bank Founded: 1993.

Economy News

7. Nomura slashes India’s GDP forecast to 12.6% in FY22

• The Japanese brokerage company Nomura has revised the GDP forecast of India in the financial year 2021-22 (FY22) to 12.6 per cent from the previous estimate of 13.5 per cent, amid rising coronavirus cases and higher inflation.
• Nomura has pegged the calendar year GDP growth at 11.5 per cent, a decline from 12.4 per cent estimated earlier.

Awards News

8. 74th Edition of BAFTA Awards 2021 announced

The British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) for the year 2021, has been announced by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. BAFTA 2021 is the 74th edition of the annual award to honour the best national and foreign films of 2020 and early 2021.

To read the complete article: Click Here

9. Lilavati Awards 2020 announced

• The Union Education Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank recently presented the AICTE Lilavati Awards, 2020 in New Delhi. The awards were presented based on the theme “Women Empowerment”.
• The winners were selected by AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) in six sub-themes.

To read the complete article: Click Here

Science and Technology News

10. Russian Vaccine Sputnik V gets emergency use authorisation in India

• The Central drug regulator, DCGA has approved emergency use authorisation of the Russian Vaccine, Sputnik V. It has now become the third vaccine to get emergency use authorisation from the drug regulator after Covishield and Covaxin.
• The Vaccine was developed by Gamaleya National Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology last year in Russia.
• The clinical trials of SPUTNIK V in India is being done by Dr Reddy's Lab. The Hyderabad based, multinational Indian pharma company, Dr Reddy's Lab has also inked an agreement with the Russian Direct Investment Fund, RDIF for the supply of the Russian vaccine in India.
• The Subject Expert Committee of the Indian drug regulator had yesterday recommended SPUTNIK V for emergency use authorisation.
• The vaccine has displayed robust results in its clinical trials in the country.
• RDIF has claimed effectiveness of 91.6 per cent for the Sputnik V vaccine. Dr Reddy's had applied for emergency use of Sputnik-V in February this year.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Russia President: Vladimir Putin.
• Russia Capital: Moscow.
• Russia Currency: Russian Ruble.

Important Days News

11. 102 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919. This year we commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the terror that shook the entire country to a standstill.
• The Jallianwalabagh garden has been converted into a memorial. And thousands of people on this day come to pay their respects to the martyred men, women, who were killed on that fateful day for the nation.
• Acting Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer ordered troops of the British Indian Army to fire their rifles into a crowd of unarmed Indian civilians in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab. General Dyer, the British India army officer, felt the people gathering for such a cause was anti-national.
• He ordered the 50 of his troops consisting of Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi, and Rajput to open fire on the unarmed men and women. The resulting figures would make you go numb as 379 men and women were killed for no fault of theirs and 1100 injured.

Obituaries News

12. Legendary shooting coach Sanjay Chakravarty Passes away

• Legendary shooting coach Sanjay Chakravarty passed away due to Covid-19. The Dronacharya awardee had trained some of the finest Indian shooters including Abhinav Bindra, Gagan Narang, Anjali Bhagwat and Suma Shirur, Deepali Deshpande, Anuja Jung and Ayonika Paul.