Transformers

LOs:
•Know what an alternating current is.
•See a transformer in operation.
•Use the transformer equation.
Homework

• Read the article from the Times

about wind power by next
lesson.
Alternating Current

• DC – direct current – what we get

from a battery.
• All the electrons move around the circuit
like water in a pipe.
• AC – alternating current – what we
get from the mains.
• The electrons move backwards and
forwards about 50 times a second.
• We will see why in a minute…

Animation!!!
 Electromagnets

• Draw a picture of an
electromagnet. Include:
• Coil of wire.
• Core.
• Magnetic field lines.
Electromagnets

• In electromagnets, the current

in the coil makes a magnetic
field.
• If we have an alternating
current, the field keeps
changing.
Transformer

• In a transformer there is a
second coil.
• This works in the opposite way
to the first coil –
• The changing magnetic field
creates an alternating current.
So…

• Coil 1
• Changing current creates changing
magnetic field.

• Coil 2
• Changing magnetic field creates
changing current.

DEMO
Transformers – the maths

N1 = Number of turns on coil 1

N2 = Number of turns on coil 2
V1 = Voltage on coil 1
V2 = Voltage on coil 2
Write a glossary for
these key words:
• Transformer
• Alternating Current
• National Grid
• Step-up transformer
• Step-down transformer