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Also see current, voltage, and direct current. In electricity, alternating current (AC) occurs when charge carriers in a conductor or semiconductor periodically reverse their direction of movement. Household utility current in most countries is AC with a frequency of 60 hertz (60 complete cycles per second), although in some countries it is 50 Hz. The radio-frequency (RF) current in antennas and transmission lines is another example of AC. An AC waveform can be sinusoidal, square, or sawtooth-shaped. Some AC waveforms are irregular or complicated. An example of sine-wave AC is common household utility current (in the ideal case).
First of all, the mains voltage is different in Europe and US. In the US, typical mains voltage is 120 V. In Europe, on the other hand, the voltage is typically 230 V. Also, while the mains frequency in Europe is typically 50 Hz, in the US it is 60 Hz. Most devices donât care about the mains frequency.