2.8 - national grid

what is the national grid?

a giant system of cables and transformers that covers the UK and connects power stations to homes

what do power stations do?

convert massive amounts of heat energy to electrical energy

when is peak energy demand?

late afternoon and evening

how can power stations prepare for peak demand?

by having spare capacity and not operating at their maximum potential

why is the current kept low in power stations?

high current travelling through wires generates lots of heat energy due to the resistance of the wire. this means loads of energy is lost to surrounding areas

how is this energy being lost as heat to the surroundings avoided on the national grid?

the current is kept low and the voltage is extremely high

how does electricity reach our homes?

when electricity is generated, the voltage is increased using a step up transformer. wires transmit electricity to the country through pylons. the voltage must be decreased through a step down transformer to 230V and the current is increased. it is then safe to be in our homes

why is it important to reduce the voltage?

it is extremely dangerous and could blow up the appliances in our homes