# 23.7 Transformers  (Page 3/8)

 Page 3 / 8

## Calculating characteristics of a step-down transformer

A battery charger meant for a series connection of ten nickel-cadmium batteries (total emf of 12.5 V DC) needs to have a 15.0 V output to charge the batteries. It uses a step-down transformer with a 200-loop primary and a 120 V input. (a) How many loops should there be in the secondary coil? (b) If the charging current is 16.0 A, what is the input current?

Strategy and Solution for (a)

You would expect the secondary to have a small number of loops. Solving $\frac{{V}_{\text{s}}}{{V}_{\text{p}}}=\frac{{N}_{\text{s}}}{{N}_{\text{p}}}$ for ${N}_{\text{s}}$ and entering known values gives

$\begin{array}{lll}{N}_{\text{s}}& =& {N}_{\text{p}}\frac{{V}_{\text{s}}}{{V}_{\text{p}}}\\ & =& \left(\text{200}\right)\frac{\text{15}\text{.}\text{0 V}}{\text{120 V}}=\text{25}\text{.}\end{array}$

Strategy and Solution for (b)

The current input can be obtained by solving $\frac{{I}_{\text{s}}}{{I}_{\text{p}}}=\frac{{N}_{\text{p}}}{{N}_{\text{s}}}$ for ${I}_{\text{p}}$ and entering known values. This gives

$\begin{array}{lll}{I}_{\text{p}}& =& {I}_{\text{s}}\frac{{N}_{\text{s}}}{{N}_{\text{p}}}\\ & =& \left(\text{16}\text{.}\text{0 A}\right)\frac{\text{25}}{\text{200}}=2\text{.}\text{00 A}\text{.}\end{array}$

Discussion

The number of loops in the secondary is small, as expected for a step-down transformer. We also see that a small input current produces a larger output current in a step-down transformer. When transformers are used to operate large magnets, they sometimes have a small number of very heavy loops in the secondary. This allows the secondary to have low internal resistance and produce large currents. Note again that this solution is based on the assumption of 100% efficiency—or power out equals power in ( ${P}_{\text{p}}={P}_{\text{s}}$ )—reasonable for good transformers. In this case the primary and secondary power is 240 W. (Verify this for yourself as a consistency check.) Note that the Ni-Cd batteries need to be charged from a DC power source (as would a 12 V battery). So the AC output of the secondary coil needs to be converted into DC. This is done using something called a rectifier, which uses devices called diodes that allow only a one-way flow of current.

Transformers have many applications in electrical safety systems, which are discussed in Electrical Safety: Systems and Devices .

## Phet explorations: generator

Generate electricity with a bar magnet! Discover the physics behind the phenomena by exploring magnets and how you can use them to make a bulb light.

## Section summary

• Transformers use induction to transform voltages from one value to another.
• For a transformer, the voltages across the primary and secondary coils are related by
$\frac{{V}_{\text{s}}}{{V}_{\text{p}}}=\frac{{N}_{\text{s}}}{{N}_{\text{p}}}\text{,}$
where ${V}_{\text{p}}$ and ${V}_{\text{s}}$ are the voltages across primary and secondary coils having ${N}_{\text{p}}$ and ${N}_{\text{s}}$ turns.
• The currents ${I}_{\text{p}}$ and ${I}_{\text{s}}$ in the primary and secondary coils are related by $\frac{{I}_{\text{s}}}{{I}_{\text{p}}}=\frac{{N}_{\text{p}}}{{N}_{\text{s}}}$ .
• A step-up transformer increases voltage and decreases current, whereas a step-down transformer decreases voltage and increases current.

## Conceptual questions

Explain what causes physical vibrations in transformers at twice the frequency of the AC power involved.

## Problems&Exercises

A plug-in transformer, like that in [link] , supplies 9.00 V to a video game system. (a) How many turns are in its secondary coil, if its input voltage is 120 V and the primary coil has 400 turns? (b) What is its input current when its output is 1.30 A?

(a) 30.0

(b) $9\text{.}\text{75}×{\text{10}}^{-2}\phantom{\rule{0.25em}{0ex}}\text{A}$

where are mcq?
Please what is the meaning of mcq
Appiah
what is static on its own
where is the position of distance
what is physics
calculate the angular displacement for an object which completes five revolutions
I need someone to explain how white light disperses to form the "ROYGBIV".
when it pass through a glass prism through a process called dispersion of light
Mahmud
What is an atom
An atom is the smallest indivisible particle of an element
Dera
When a toilet is flushed or a sink is drained, the water (and other material) begins to rotate about the drain on the way down. Assuming no initial rotation and a flow initially directly straight toward the drain, explain what causes the rotation and which direction it has in the northern hemisphere.
find the change in entropy of a 2.00 kg block of gold at 1063^0C when it meets to become liquid gold at 1063^0C
if you are asked to make a very sensitive thermometer which of the following fluids would you choose
precious
between mercy and gasoline
precious
it good to use mercury because mercury does not wet glass and it does not evaporate easily
Desmond
0
firdaus
SFAR Sifar SIFAT -<SIFST
firdaus
how many particles are in 2 moles of chromium
if so use the normal formula number of atom= number of particle/Avogadro's number
Aki
n= np/avogadtos constant. therefore n= 24/ 6.022×10²³
albert
24÷6.022×10²³
albert
@Albert is wrong
Aki
when you cross multiple it should give you Number of particles= mole*Avogadro's number X=2m*6.022*10^²³ X=1.20*10²⁴g
Aki
1.204×10^-22
Maame
please what is final velocity and initial velocity
don't know
Ekene
what do you want to become in future
Ekene
Nonso
I think initial velocity is the velocity that the mobile starts with at the start time (t=0s) but I don't think I heard abt final velocity
Malak
Malak where are you now I need to learn more from you
Ekene
initial velocity is the velocity an object possess at it intial position or is the starting velocity, while a final velocity is the velocity an object or body possess at it final stage or at the end of it motion
Mubarak
Bohr is kimia, of toksid, cloud, tree have cloud, tree, river but small from toksid fish or another.
Heavy, heavy kehidupan susah, kekayaan, berlambak, bergumpul. Dikenali.
Gravitional, Gravitional mean kehidup seseorang. Kehidupan bumi, kehidupan muka bumi, kehidupan dalam longitude, kehidupan dalam momentom, kehidupan dalam mongitude. Kehidupan dalam Pelajaran, mean Pelajar kolej.
firdaus
Nonconservative. Sains belajar
firdaus
hello
LFX
what are the types of kinetics
what is torque pls