Sek Men Sains Muzaffar Syah

8.4

What is a
A transformer is an electrical device which increases or
transformer?
decreases an alternating voltage based on the principle of
electromagnetic induction.

Describe
the
structure of
a simple
transformer

 The coil connected to the input voltage is called the primary coil.
The coil connected to the output voltage is called the secondary
coil.
 The purpose of the common iron core is to provide a magnetic field
linkage in the secondary coil.

 A transformer works on the principle of electromagnetic induction.

 When a.c voltage, Vp, is applied to the primary coil of transformer,
Describe an alternating current flows through the coil.
the  The soft-iron core is magnetized. The magnet produced varies in
operating magnitude and direction.
principle of  This causes a changing magnetic flux to pass through the
a simple secondary coil. As a result ,an induced e.m.f across the secondary
transformer coil is produced.
 An alternating e.m.f is induced across it to produce an a.c voltage,
Vs in the secondary coil and a.c current flows through the second
coil.
 The frequency of the secondary voltage Vs is the same as that of the
primary voltage, Vp.
 The magnitude of the secondary voltage, Vs, depends on the ratio of
the number of turns of the primary and secondary coils.

Why does  A current is induced in the secondary coil only when there is a
the changing magnetic flux due to a changing primary current.
transformer (changes direction and magnitude)
not work  A d.c. power supply gives a constant current in the primary circuit
with a d.c  A constant direct current whose magnitude and direction is
power constant does not create a changing magnetic flux in the secondary
supply? coil. Therefore electromagnetic induction does not take place.

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 According to Faraday’s law:

State the
relationship
Voltage  number of turns in coils
between
number of
VN
turns in V  kN
coils with
V
voltage in a k
transformer N
(Vp, Np, Vs
Vp Vs
 
and Ns)

Np Ns
Vp = input (primary) voltage
Vs = output (secondary) voltage
Np = number of turns in the primary coils
Ns = number of turns in the secondary coils

Step-up transformer
If Ns is greater than Np, then Vs is greater than Vp
Compare
and Step-down transformer
contrast a If Ns is lower than Np, then Vs is lower than Vp
step-up
transformer Step-up transformer Step-down transformer
and a step-
down
transformer

Ns > Np Ns < Np
Vs > Vp Vs < Vp

Activity 1 : To understand a step-up and a step-down transformer

Materials Two C-shaped iron cores with clip, insulated wire, two light bulbs, low
voltage power supply.
Procedure Step-up transformer
 A 10 turns of copper wire are
wound on a soft iron C-core.
The wire is connected to the 1
V terminals of a low voltage
power supply.
 A 25 turns of copper wire are
wound on another soft-iron C-
core.

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 The two cores are attached together by a C-clip.

 The two bulbs are connected to the circuit.
 The power is turned on. The brightness of the bulb are observed.
Step-down transformer
 The apparatus set-up is changed so that the 25 turns copper wire
becomes the primary coil and the 10 turns copper wire is the
secondary coil.
 The power supply is turned on. The brightness of the bulb are
observed.

Observation Step-up transformer

Types of circuit Primary circuit Secondary
circuit
Number of turns

Brightness of bulb

Step-down transformer
Types of circuit Primary circuit Secondary
circuit
Number of turns

Brightness of bulb

Discussion
1. What is the relationship between the brightness of the bulb and the voltage
across it?

____________________________________________________________________

2. State the condition for a transformer to step up an input voltage.

____________________________________________________________________

3. State the condition for a transformer to step down an input voltage.

____________________________________________________________________

Conclusion:

__________________________________________________________________________

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What is the
relationship
between  In an ideal transformer, there is no energy loss during the process
output of transforming the voltage.
power and
input power [Power supplied to = [Power used in the
of an ideal the primary coil] secondary coil]
transformer?
Input power = Output power
VpIp = VsIs

Describe the  In a real transformer, some energy is lost in the transformer

energy loses in a especially in the form of heat.
transformer  The output power is less than the input power.
 Therefore the efficiency of the transformer is less than 100%.

Efficiency of a  Efficiency = output power X 100%

transformer Input power

Causes of energy loss in transformers Ways to improve the efficiency of a

Resistance of the coils
 all coils will have resistance
 heat is produced when current flows
through them
transformer
Use thick copper wires to make the coils
The resistance will reduce as the wire is
thicker.

Eddy currents in the core Use

 the changing magnetic field will also laminated
induces current in the iron core cores to
 this induced current is called eddy reduce eddy
current currents
 cause heat to be produced in the iron
cores.

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Magnetization and demagnetization of

the core Use cores made from soft-iron as soft-iron
 the alternating current flowing core can be easily magnetized and
through the transformer continually demagnetized.
magnetizes and demagnetizes the
core
 work has to be done to change the
magnitude and direction of the
magnetic field in the core which
contributes to energy loss

Leakage of magnetic field Wind the secondary coil on top of the

 electrical energy is lost when a primary coil
fraction of the magnetic field
produced by the primary coil does
not link with the secondary coil.

Activity 2 : Solve problems involving transformers

1. A transformer is required to step down the

mains voltage of 240 V provide a 12 V supply
for an electric toy. If the primary coil is
wound with 1 000 turns of wire, calculate the
number of turns required for the secondary
coil.

2. A step up transformer has 10 000 turns on its

secondary coil and 100 turns on its primary
coil. An alternating current of 5.0 A flows in
the primary coil when it is connected to a 12 V
a.c supply. Calculate:
(a) the input power to the transformer
(b) the e.m.f induced across the secondary
coil.
(c) What is the maximum current that could
flow in a circuit connected to the
secondary coil if the transformer is 100%
efficient.

Questions 3 – 5 are from text books pg 102

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3. A step-up transformer has a primary coil with

50 turns. It steps-up the mains voltage of 240
V a.c to 12 000 V a.c.
(a) How many turns must there be in the
secondary coil?
(b) When the current in the secondary coil is
0.2 A, what is the current in the primary
coil, assuming the transformer is 100%
efficient?

4. A transformer has 2 000 turns in its primary

coil and is used to operate a “12 V, 24 W”
lamp from the 240 V a.c. mains.

(a) Assuming that there is no power

loss in the transformer, find
(i) the number of turns in the secondary
coil
(ii) the current in the secondary coil
(iii) the input power.
(b) What would be the input power if the
transformer is 95% efficient?

5. A toy train requires a low voltage to operate.

The primary coil of its transformer has 600
turns, and the secondary coil has 50 turns.
The primary coil of its transformer has 600
turn, and the secondary coil has 50 turns.
The primary coil is connected to the 240 V a.c
mains. Assuming that the transformer is
100% efficient and the train requires a power
of 20 W, find
(a) the voltage required to operate the toy
train.
(b) The current in the primary coil
(c) The current in the secondary coil

6. A ’multi-tap’ transformer has a primary coil of

500 turns. JK, KL and MN at secondary coil
has 30, 15 and 5 turns respectively. If the
primary voltage is 200 V a.c, what is the
secondary voltage at:
(a) JK, (b) KL, (c) LM, (d) KM

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TUTORIAL 8.4
5. Diagram below shows a transformer
1. The diagram shows a circuit containing connected to a cathode ray oscilloscope
an ideal transformer. (CRO).

Which statement is correct about the

brightness of bulb P and bulb Q? (2003)
A Bulb P is brighter than bulb Q
B Bulb P and bulb Q have the same
brightness
C Bulb Q is brighter than bulb P
Which of the following wave traces is
correct when the extra coil is on the core
and connected in series with the
secondary coil? (2007)

2. A laminated iron core is used in a

transformer because it can reduces…..
(2007)
A the eddy current
B the hysterisis loss
C the resistance of the coil
D the leakage of magnetic flux

3. Why is the core of a transformer made of

soft -iron?
A Soft-iron is cheaper than copper
B Soft-iron is a good electrical
conductor 6 The diagram shows multi-tap
C Soft-iron makes a good permanent transformer.
magnet
D Soft-iron is easily magnetized and
demagnetized

4. The diagram shows the structure of an

ideal transformer.

Which pair of terminals would you

connect to produce an output voltage of
What is the potential difference across 18 V?
the bulb? (2005) A JK
A. 7 V B JL
B. 24 V C KL
C. 30 V D KM
D. 60 V
E. 160 V

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7. Diagram 25 shows a simple transformer.
The bulb lights up at normal brightness.
What happens if the a.c. input is replaced
by a 3 V battery? (2008)
A. The bulb does not light up
B. The brightness of the bulb remains
unchanged
C. The brightness of the bulb increases
D. The bulb blows
8. Diagram below shows two coils P and Q,
being wound on a U-shaped soft iron.
Coil P is connected to a 12 V alternating
voltage supply. Coil Q is connected to
an a.c. voltmeter.
(a) The voltmeter shows that there is a
voltage across the terminals of coil
Q. Explain why this happens.
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
(b) Name a physics concept which cause
this effect.
________________________________
SPM 2007 paper 2 A7
9. Diagram 7 shows a simple transformer.
(a) (i) Name the type of the transformer.
_____________________________
(ii) State why soft iron is used as the
transformer core.
_____________________________
(b) The number of turns on the primary
coil in Diagram 7 is 1000. Calculate
the number of turns on the
secondary coil.
(c) The transformer in Diagram 7 is used
to switch on an electrical appliances.
The current in the primary coil is 0.1
A and the efficiency is 75 %.
(a) Calculate the output power of the
transformer.
(b) An electrical appliance which
needs 20 W of power is
connected to the transformer
output. Suggest a modification to
the transformer that enables the
appliance to function correctly.
_____________________________
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(d) A student connects a television (iii) State the physics concept which
which uses direct current to the explains how the component in
output of the transformer in Diagram box X works.
7. When the television is switched on,
it does not function. ……………………………………….
(i) Why the television does not [1 mark]
function?
(b) The efficiency of the component in
_____________________________ box X is 80%. Calculate the input
current when the output power is 65
(ii) An electrical component is W.
connected to the output of the
transformer so that the television
functions.

_____________________________ [2 marks]

_____________________________
[2 m]

SPM 2008 paper 2 A4

10. Diagram 4.1 shows a computer battery
charger connected to a 240 Va.c. power
supply. The battery charger contains box
X and box Y.
(c) Box Y contains four identified
components to change a.c to d.c. On
Diagram 4.2, draw the electronic
components in the coloured circles
provided.

(a) The function of the component in box

X is to lower the voltage from 240 V
a.c to 20 V a.c.

(i) Name the component in box X.

……………………………………….
[2 marks]
[1 mark]

(ii) Explain why a.c and not d.c is

supplied in Diagram 4.1.

……………………………………….

……………………………………….

……………………………………….
[1 mark]

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SPM 2004 Section C 12.b

11. Diagram below shows a circuit
consisting of a transformer, an ammeter
and two light bulbs. The ammeter
reading is 0.5 A and both bulbs light up
with normal brightness.

(a) What is the output voltage of the

transformer?

(b) Calculate the efficiency of the

transformer.

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