Essentials of Electrical Engineering: A Text Book for Colleges and Technical Schools (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Essentials of Electrical Engineering: A Text Book for Colleges and Technical Schools

The widely prevalent belief that continuous and alternating currents are not subject to the same general laws, is entirely erroneous. The principles and laws which relate to the flow of continuous currents also govern the flow of alternating currents.

This volume, which is offered as a text for the use of students pursuing either electrical or non-electrical engineering courses, is the result of the writers class-room experience, and seeks to emphasize the fact that continuous and alternating currents are governed by the same laws. To this end the fundamental laws of the electric circuit are fully developed before any study of machines is attempted. With a thorough knowledge of the electric circuit as a foundation, the student should have little trouble in comprehending the physical phenomena taking place in the more common types of electrical apparatus.

The student is expected to be familiar with trigonometry, and a knowledge of calculus will be found advantageous but not indispensable. The mathematical developments of the formulae for the calculation of inductance and capacitance have been placed in appendices at the back. These and other portions of the text may be omitted when, for lack of time or for any other reason, it is necessary to shorten the course.

The fact that the ideas advanced in this volume have developed with the science of Electrical Engineering, and may be regarded as the common property of the science, would make any attempt to give specific credit burdensome (and often impossible), but the writer wishes to specifically acknowledge his indebtedness to both standard and current literature, particularly to those works listed on page 333. Students desiring a more detailed discussion of particular subjects are referred to this list.