(if only Hamlet had known)

PPQ OCR June 2003

The diagram shows a simple step-up
transformer.
(a) For safety, a low voltage is needed for a child's train set.
How can this transformer be changed so that a mains voltage can be
reduced to a low output voltage?
(b) Alternating current must be used for a transformer to work.
(i) What is alternating current? [1]
(ii) Why must an alternating current be used? [1]
(c) (i) Another transformer is being used to step down the voltage from
240 V to 12 V. The primary coil of this transformer has 4000 turns.
Calculate how many turns are needed on the secondary coil. Show
how you work our your answer. [2]
(ii) The output of this transformer is connected to a radio.
State and explain how the output current to the radio compares with
the input current to the transformer.
Assume the transformer is 100% efficient. [3] [Total: 10]
Extension questions follow for those interested. (The early ones are
designed to help with later questions).
1. Which direction would the current flow if the magnet pictured
(North on the right) were pulled away from the solenoid?
2. What if the magnet was facing the other way, and then pulled
away?
3. What about if the magnet carried on and travelled all the way
through the solenoid?
4. Aluminium is non-magnetic,
yet strong magnets under the
track can interact with aluminium
blocks and quickly stop a roller coaster.
Explain how this works.
 • Eddy currents are a source
of energy loss in AC motors,
transformers, inductors,
generators etc.
• Eddy currents are induced
within a conductor due to a
changing magnetic field.
These currents cause an
opposition to the magnetic
field that created it and also
dissipate energy as heat in
• the material.
Laminating the conductor parallel to the
magnetic field lines greatly reduces this