Investigatory Project:

Powering External Light Sources without Connecting Wires using DIY Mini Tesla Coil

An Investigatory Project Presented to

The Faculty of Basic Education
Our Lady of Fatima University

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Physics 2

.

Cababat, Ivy Shenn R.

Carpio, Joshua Enzo M.
Delmo, Wenielyn S.
Quintana, Allyssa Jane B.

Sir. Armando U. Miranda Jr.

Physics Teacher

March 23, 2023

I. Abstract
A Tesla coil is an air-core transformer that utilizes the physics concept of electromagnetic induction to
allow the transmission of wireless electricity to nearby electronic appliances. This invention of Nikola Tesla is
what led to the development of the wireless technologies we use today, such as wireless chargers, radio and
television broadcasting, and Wi-Fi networks. The researchers aim to investigate more about wireless transmission,
so they decided to go back to the technology where it all started, with the invention of the Tesla coil. Therefore,
they decided to create a small-scale DIY version of this apparatus in order to broaden their knowledge and gain
insight into the physics behind the Tesla coil.
Through this project of constructing a small-scale DIY version of a Tesla coil, the researchers were able
to further study how Tesla’s invention operates. The researchers made three important components for their
project: (1) the electric circuit, which will allow the flow of oscillating currents to the primary coil; (2) the
primary coil, which will use the oscillating currents in order to produce a fluctuating magnetic field that will be
induced in the secondary coil; (3) and the secondary coil, which will receive the induced current and act as a step-
up transformer that produces a bigger and stronger electromagnetic field around it. With the right set-up, a
fluorescent light held near the Tesla coil should illuminate. This is due to the electrons of the Mercury atoms
inside the bulb reacting to the electromagnetic field produced by the secondary coil.
Through the utilization and further development of the principles used in the Tesla coil, the dream of
Nikola Tesla to power the world without the use of wires is within the reach of our hands. Not only that, this DIY
project serves as an effective medium to teach students the principle of electromagnetic induction and other
related physics concepts, all of which without the use of expensive materials and just within an affordable price.

II. Introduction
Have you ever wondered how modern smartphones charge without the use of cables? Or ever pictured a
world without the twists and turns of wires? These thoughts are what led the researchers to research wireless
transmission. All wireless technologies were developed because of the Tesla Coil, invented by the late Nikola
Tesla. A Tesla coil is an air-core transformer that allows wireless electricity transmission through the physics
principle of electromagnetic induction. Because of this, the researchers decided to go back to where it all started
and build their own small-scale Tesla coil in order to investigate its basic operating principles.

III. Lecture Review

How does a Tesla coil work?
A Tesla coil mainly runs on the physics principle of electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction
is a phenomenon that occurs when a conductor is able to produce a current when it is put in a varying magnetic
field. In the case of the Tesla coil, the one that will produce the fluctuating magnetic field will be the primary coil,
while the secondary coil will be the one that will act as a conductor where the current will be induced. Moreover,
since the secondary coil has more turns in comparison to the primary coil, the secondary coil will act as a step-up
transformer; hence, the induced current will yield a higher voltage and a stronger electromagnetic field, which
could light up nearby fluorescent bulbs through wireless power transmission.

What are the two fundamental laws of electromagnetic induction?

It has been mentioned that the Tesla coil primarily revolves around the concept of electromagnetic
induction, and there are actually two laws that describe the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction, namely,
Faraday’s law and Lentz’s law.
Faraday’s first law explains how a current can be produced in a conductor using electromagnetic
induction; it states that any change in the magnetic environment around a conductor (like a coil of wire) will result
in a voltage being induced in it. This change in the magnetic field can be produced through various methods, such
as moving a magnet toward or away from the coil, moving the coil into or out of the magnetic field, rotating the
coil relative to the magnet, or by changing the magnetic field’s strength (which is the method the Tesla coil uses).
While Faraday’s second law of electromagnetic induction implicates that increasing the rate of change of
a magnetic flux and/ or the number of windings in a coil also increases the amount of the induced voltage. This
postulate is what leads for the induced voltage in the secondary coil to be higher, thus producing a stronger
electromagnetic field. However, it is important to note that even though the induced voltage increases, the induced
current on the other hand, decreases. This is due to the law of conservation of energy, which do not allow the
creation nor destruction of energy, but only the conversion of it from one form to another.
On the other hand, Lentz’s law tells the direction of where the induced current will flow. It states that
whenever a current is induced in a conductor through the exposure to a magnetic flux (as stated in Faraday’s law),
the direction of the current and the polarity of the magnetic field produced will always be in the opposing manner,
this is as to oppose the flux that produced it.

How is the varying magnetic field produced?

It has also been mentioned that, in order for a voltage to be induced in the secondary coil, the primary coil
has to produce a varying magnetic field. Now, this magnetic fluctuation around the primary coil will be produced
through the flow of oscillating currents around the electrical circuit. And this periodic flow of electricity will be
created with the help of the transistor, which will act as a digital switch that will turn on and off at a fast rate with
the help of the current flowing from the battery and the counter-current produced by the secondary coil.
Why fluorescent lights work when it is held near the Tesla coil?
Fluorescent lights work by the collision of high-speed electrons with mercury atoms; this results in the
electrons of the mercury moving to a higher orbit. When the electrons in the mercury atom return to their original
orbit, they emit ultraviolet frequency, which then excites the phosphor inside the fluorescent bulb, causing a
visible light to be emitted. In order to get high-speed electrons, the filament inside the bulb is heated through the
flow of electricity; this process is what frees the electrons and causes them to collide with the mercury atoms.
So, why do fluorescent lights work when they are held near a Tesla coil, especially when the bulb has no
external power source connected to it? The answer lies in the electromagnetic field that is produced by the
secondary coil. Remember that electrons inside atoms can be excited not only through the striking of other
electrons but also by exposure to electric fields. Therefore, when the fluorescent light is held near the Tesla coil,
the electrons of the Mercury are exposed to the electromagnetic field that the second coil produces. This excites
the electrons, and when they return to their ground state, a photon is emitted and thus activates the phosphor
inside the bulb. Hence, the fluorescent light works even though there is no wire or any power source connected to
it.

Definition of terms:
Coil. A conductive wire wrapped around a cylindrical object multiple times.
Conductor. A material that allows electric charges to flow through it.
Current. The rate of flow of electric charges.
Electric field. A point in space where a charge is present in any form.
Energy level. The energy values that an electron in an atom can have or occupy.
Fluorescent light. A light source that produces light by the fluorescence of a phosphor coating.
Ground state. The lowest energy level of an atom.
Magnetic field. A region where the force of magnetism acts.
Oscillation. A system that goes back and forth repeatedly between two states.
Phosphor. A material that emits light, when exposed to radiation.
Photon. A particle of light which carries electromagnetic radiation.
Resistor. An electrical component that limits the flow of electrical current.
Transformer. A three-terminal electrical component that amplifies or switches electronic signals.
Transistor. A device that steps-up or steps-down an alternating voltage.
Voltage. The potential difference of electric charges between two points.
IV. Procedure and Mechanics
Equipment needed:
 Glue gun
 Soldering iron

Materials needed:
For the Primary Coil:
 Thick, insulated copper wire
For the Secondary Coil:
 Non-conductive tubular object with 1 – 1.5 inch diameter (e.g. PVC pipe , Body of syringe)
 26 – 32 gauge magnet wire (Enameled copper wire)
For the Electric Circuit:
 Base (e.g. Plywood)
 9 V battery and clip
 Switch
 2N2222 NPN Transistor
 22K Ω Resistor
Others:
 Aluminum Foil
 Electrical tape
 Glue sticks
 Fluorescent or LED lights

Creation procedure:
Making the Secondary Coil:
1. Cut the tube to the desired length.
2. Poke a hole near the end of either side of the tube.
3. Pass 3 – 4 inches of the magnet wire through the hole of the tube.
4. Use electrical tape or glue to secure the wire on the tube.
5. Coil the other end of the magnet wire around the tube. Coil the wire about 250 – 325 times.
6. Do not let the wires overlap or leave a gap while coiling. After a few turns, use glue/ tape/ nail polish
to keep the wires in place.
7. Poke another hole near the end of the other side of the tube.
8. Leave 3 – 4 inches of the magnet wire, then cut it.
9. Pass the end of the magnet wire through the hole of the tube.
10. Use electrical tape or glue to secure the wire in place.
11. Remove the enamel from both ends of the magnet wire.
Making the Primary Coil:
1. Coil the thick, insulated wire 3 – 5 times around the secondary coil.
2. Make sure to wrap the insulated wire in the opposite direction of the secondary coil (if you coil the
magnet wire around the tube in a clockwise direction, then wrap the insulated wire around the
primary coil in a counter-clockwise direction).
3. Use electrical tape or glue to secure the wire in place.
4. Remove the coating from both ends of the insulated wire.
Making the Electric Circuit:
1. Cut the base to the desired size.
2. Glue the battery, switch, transistor, resistor, and tube into place.
3. Solder the wire connecting to the negative terminal of the battery to the emitter pin of the transistor.
4. Solder the wire connecting to the positive terminal of the battery to one of the terminals of the
switch.
5. Solder one side of the connecting lead of the resistor to the other terminal of the switch.
6. Solder the other side of the connecting lead of the resistor to the base pin of the transistor.
7. Solder the bottom end of the magnet wire from the secondary coil to the base of the transistor.
8. Solder one of the ends of the insulated wire from the primary coil to the connector pin of the
transistor.
9. Solder the other end of the insulated wire from the primary coil to the terminal of the switch, where
one of the connecting lead of the resistor is also connected.
 Making the Top Load:
1. Roll a piece of aluminum foil into a ball.
2. Attach the upper end of the magnet wire from the secondary coil to the inside of the ball of
aluminum foil using electrical tape.
3. Place the ball of aluminum foil on top of the tube.

Operating procedure:
1. When the switch is turned on, the current will start to flow through the primary coil.
2. This causes a magnetic field to be created, which will induce a current in the secondary coil.
3. Due to this, an opposing magnetic field will be produced, resulting in a counter-current to flowing to
the transistor, which sends a feedback signal for the transistor to switch off.
4. This results in the current to stop flowing through the primary coil, which also means that no current
will be induced in the secondary coil.
5. This stops the counter current, hence allowing the flow of electricity to begin again and the cycle
continues.
6. This process will repeat thousands of times per second, which leads to the circuit oscillating all by
itself.
7. This oscillating current will produce a magnetic flux around the primary coil.
8. In accordance with the law of electromagnetic induction, this will cause a voltage to be induced in
the secondary coil.
9. The multiple windings of the magnet wire in the secondary coil will act as a transformer that
increases the voltage it gets from the primary coil.
10. This causes a strong electromagnetic field to be produced, which ionizes the gases present inside the
fluorescent lights, allowing for wireless power transmission.

Conclusion:
The fluorescent light working when it is held near the small-scale DIY version of a Tesla coil is not only
fascinating to see but also explains to people how everyday things work and how it can be innovated for more
efficient use. In addition, the inner workings happening in the circuit and the coils themselves also demonstrate
the physics concepts of induction and its basic laws (i.e., Faraday’s and Lentz’s laws). Through the use and
application of these concepts, doors of endless possibilities are opened for the future development of our
technologies, and this project just may spark that inspiration in those that will witness it. Lastly, because this is a
DIY project, the cost of the materials needed is affordable, and this just proves that physics lessons can be taught
in a more efficient and engaging way without the use of expensive and sophisticated apparatuses.
V. Significance of the study
In 1891, the late Nikola Tesla invented the Tesla coil, and even though it was later discontinued, the
principles used in his creation are what lead to the development of the technologies we have today. Tesla
pioneered the concept of wireless technology, which is widely used today in the digital age. The application of
this concept is used for wireless power and communication transmission, which led to the invention of
technologies such as Wi-Fi, wireless chargers for smartphones, and mass broadcast for televisions and radios.
Therefore, through this project of creating a small-scale DIY version of a Tesla coil we will be able to gain the
following benefits:
1. This project pays tribute to the late Nikola Tesla and all his scientific contributions, which inspired
the technology that we are utilizing today.
2. This project, if modified and made large-scale, can provide the world with an extensive wireless
electricity source that could reach even areas where building electrical grids would be impractical or
impossible.
3. This project, if modified and made large-scale, promotes environmental sustainability through the
reduction of the use of wires and cables, which annually contribute an estimated 40 million tons of
electrical waste.
4. This project makes the students understand and have insights about how wireless transmission works
without the use of large or expensive apparatuses, which may lead to the further development of new
technologies and a future without wires.
5. This project demonstrates the physics concepts of electromagnetic induction and its fundamental
laws, basic electronic components found in electrical circuits, electromagnetic fields, and internal
mechanisms working in light bulbs.
6. This project is a DIY and only small-scale, hence, it only uses common materials that are affordable
or can be found in the scraps of discarded appliances.
7. This project promotes creativity and practical application of learned concepts among students.

VI. Bibliography
Kumar, S. (2017, August 4). Make a mini "Tesla coil" (easy to make). YouTube. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjTK-L3sLxI

Harris, T. (n.d.). How Fluorescent Lamps Work. How stuff works. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from
https://home.howstuffworks.com/fluorescent-lamp2.htm
Khan Academy. (n.d.). Electromagnetic induction (& Faraday's experiments). Khan Academy. Retrieved March
20, 2023, from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/in-in-class10th-physics/in-in-magnetic-effects-of-
electric-current/electromagnetic-induction/v/electromagnetic-induction-faradays-experiments

Nave, R. (n.d.). Faraday’s Law. Georgia State University. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/farlaw.html

Wi-Charge. (2021, June 10). Why you’ll soon experience in-home wireless power. Linkedin. Retrieved March 20,
2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-youll-soon-experience-in-home-wireless-power-wi-
charge/