system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If alternating current oscillates back and forth at equal frequencies, how does power still flow in only one direction?
gpt
Imagine you want to move a heavy box. If you push it, where does power go? Well, it goes from your hands to the box, and then into the friction of the floor.

What if you pull it instead? The power still goes *from you* to the box, and then consumed by friction! So, no matter if you push or pull, the power goes in the same direction!

In general, power transfer can go any direction, direction of actual movement doesn't matter: it can even go in direction where there is no movement at all (like a motor connected to a wheel. The power goes from motor to a wheel, but nothing moves in that direction!)