ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Losses in electrical systems

When you use electricity, it has to travel from the power plant through wires to your home. Sometimes, as it travels, some of the electricity can get lost.

It's kind of like when you're playing a game of catch with a friend. You throw the ball back and forth, but sometimes the ball doesn't make it to your friend because you didn't throw it hard enough, or it got stuck in a tree or something.

In electrical systems, there are a few ways that electricity can get lost. One way is through something called resistance. This is when the electricity meets a material that doesn't let it flow through easily, like a kink in a hose. The electricity has to work harder to get through, and some of it can be lost as heat.

Another way electricity can get lost is through something called leakage. This is when electricity escapes from the wires or equipment it's traveling through because of small gaps or flaws. Think of it like water seeping out of a leaky faucet.

So, basically, losses in electrical systems happen when some of the electricity gets lost as it travels from the power plant to your home. This can happen because of resistance or leakage, and it's kind of like when you lose a ball during a game of catch.
Related topics others have asked about: