Alternating current

electric current that reverses direction many times per second

this is the type of electricity that's used in your home

often abbreviated as AC

Amps
the unit for measuring electric current
named after French physicist Andr-Marie Ampre who played a role in discovering electroma

Visit the History of Making Electricity section for more information.

Atom
the smallest particle of an element
everything is made up of tiny atoms

Battery
a device that stores energy and makes it available as electricity

Biomass
renewable source of energy that uses organic waste to produce electricity
for example, wood by-products, plants, crops, and animal waste are used instead of fossil fuels

this resource is considered clean because it can be used over and over again without any negat
environment.

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Blackout
a total power failure over a large area, usually caused by a breakdown at a power plant or large

Brownout
a small, temporary reduction of voltage and/or power
usually caused by the utility company trying to conserve power during heavy periods of use

often causes lights to dim

Cell
a device that delivers an electric current as the result of a chemical reaction (i.e. a battery)

Charge
the amount of electricity an object contains

Circuit
an electric device that provides a path for electric current to flow

Coal
a fossil fuel that's burned in the large boilers.
the burning coal heats water in a boiler and this produces steam, which spins a turbine engine a

this is a non-renewable energy source

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Conductor
a substance that allows electric current to pass through it

Current
the flow of electricity in an electric circuit
it's measured in amps

Carbon dioxide
a colourless gas that has no smell
also known as CO2, it's present in the Earth's atmosphere and is produced when fossil fuels are

Direct Current
a type of electric energy that travels in one direction
often abbreviated as DC

batteries produce a direct current

Dynamo
an electric generator that produces a direct current

Electricity
a form of energy that's produced by the flow of electrons
provides power for lighting, appliances, and other electric devices in our homes and businesses

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Electric Shock
the physical reaction caused when electricity flows through the body
it can occur when your body comes in contact with any source of voltage high enough to send
muscles or hair

may cause tissue damage or a heart attack if the current is high enough

Electrolysis
chemical changes produced by passing a current through a water solution

Electromagnet
a magnet formed when an electric current flows through a wire or other conductor

Electromagnetic
when an object is made magnetic by an electric current

Electron
a basic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom
the flow of electrons produces electricity

Energy
the ability to do work
people get energy from food, but things like your iPod, a video game player, or a cell phone ge
electricity

Energy efficiency
using energy wisely and not wasting it

ENERGY STAR qualified

a product that uses less energy, saves money, and helps protect the environment

Environmentally friendly
any thing or any action that is not harmful or damaging to the environment

Fossil fuel
any kind of fuel that is found under the ground, like coal, oil, or gas
To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Fuel cell
a device that converts the energy of a fuel - such as hydrogen - into electricity or heat

Fuse
a protective device that's designed to melt or break when the current flowing through it becom
a fuse helps protect against fire

Generator
a machine that produces electricity by converting mechanical energy into electric energy

Geothermal energy
using heat from below the Earth's surface to create electricity
it's a renewable source of energy

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Ground
a connection between an electric device and the earth

Grid
a network of electric power lines and connections that delivers electricity to our homes and bu

Hydroelectricity
also known as water power, this renewable energy source uses water from a river or dam to ge
To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Insulator
a material that does not allow the flow of electricity to pass through it

Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

an organization that was established in 1999
responsible for the day-to-day operation of Ontario's electrical system

Kilowatt (kW)
the unit used to measure electric energy
there are 1,000 watts in one kilowatt

Kilowatt hour (kWh)

this measurement refers to the use of 1,000 watts of electricity in one hour
o 1kWh = ten 100 watt bulbs all burning at the same time for one hour
o

10 bulbs x 100 watts each hour x 1 hour = 1,000 watts hours or 1kWh

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)

developed in 1994, this program encourages building homes and structures that are environme
efficient
certification program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green bui

Lightning
an electric discharge from cloud to cloud or from cloud to the earth
it is accompanied by a flash of light

Load
the amount of electricity consumed by an electric device, such as a video game or an appliance

Local (Electricity) Distribution Company (LDC)

these companies take power from high-voltage transmission lines, transform the electricity to a
provide it to local companies
they monitor the electricity distribution system, which is important for all electricity consumer

Magnet
an object that is surrounded by a magnetic field

it has the natural power to attract objects made of iron or steel

Magnetic field
the area around a magnet in which objects are attracted or repelled

Mechanical energy
the energy of an object in motion

Megawatt
a unit of electricity equivalent to 1000kW or 1 million watts (MW)

Meter
a device that measures the levels of customers' electricity and gas use

Motor
a machine that converts energy to motion or power

Nuclear power
the energy generated in a nuclear power plant
it's produced by splitting atoms in a nuclear reactor

Nuclear reactor
part of a nuclear power plant where atoms break into many parts and power is generated

Non-renewable energy
fuels that cannot be made easily and take millions of years to form
oil, coal, and gas are examples of non-renewable energy

Ohm
the basic unit for measuring resistance to an electric current
it was named after German physicist Georg Ohm, who researched the relationship between vol
resistance

Visit the History of Making Electricity section for more information.

Ontario Energy Board (OEB)

a corporation that's responsible for managing natural gas and electricity utilities in Ontario
part of its responsibility includes setting the price of gas and power

Ontario Energy Network (OEN)

an association that's formed to allow information to be shared between organizations within th

Ontario Power Generation

a public company that's owned by the government of Ontario

it is Canada's largest owner and operator of nuclear power plants, as well as some alternative e

Photovoltaic
a solar power technology that converts the sun's light into electricity

Power
the energy used to do work

Radio
a technology that allows the transmission of sound or other signals by electromagnetic waves t

Renewable energy
fuels that do not run out and can generate electricity cleanly
examples include solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Resistance
this is the degree to which a substance resists, or opposes, an electric current

Socket
the opening that a light bulb screws into

Solar energy
this is energy that's created directly from the light or heat of the sun
To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Static electricity
a charge of electricity that's generated by the friction between two objects

Switch
a mechanical device used to turn a current on or off in an electric circuit

Thermal
a word used to mean "heat"
a thermal power station uses heat to produce electricity

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Transformer
an electric device that is used to raise or lower the voltage of electricity
voltage is increased at a transformer so it can be transmitted over long distances and then it is d

transformer so it can be distributed to customers

To learn more, visit the What is Electricity section

Volt
a unit of measurement for electricity
it indicates how much pressure there is on an electric current

named after Alessandro Volta, who invented the first battery

Watt
unit for measuring electric power
it was named after Scottish inventor James Watt, who made improvements to the steam engine

Visit the History for Making Electricity section for more information.

Water power
also known as hydroelectricity, this renewable energy source uses water from a river or dam to
To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section

Wind turbine
a rotating machine that converts the energy of wind into mechanical energy
this energy turns a rotating generator shaft, converting it into electricity

this is a renewable energy source

To learn more, visit The Ins and Outs of Making Electricity section