Experiment: Transformer

AIM:
To investigate the factors affect the voltage and current in the primary and
secondary coils in transformer.
APPRATUS REQUIRED:
Low voltage power (A.C.)
PVC-covered copper wire
60+120 turns coil
120+240 turns coil
Double C-core
0-5A A.C. ammeter (2)

12V, 24W lamp, CRO, connecting wires.

Theory:
If we wish to run a 12 V train set from the 240 V mains or change 20 000 V to
400 000 V for transmission in a power cable then we must use a transformer.
You will also find one in record players, mains radios, computers etc.
A transformer is used to change one A.C. voltage into another.
A transformer consists of two coils - the primary coil and the secondary coil
both wound on a soft iron core. If an ac. voltage is applied to the primary coil
then this will produce a changing magnetic field in the iron core. This then
induces an alternating voltage in the secondary coil. Remember that you will
only get a voltage in the secondary coil if the magnetic field is changing.
Therefore:
Transformers will only work with A.C..

The number of turns on both the primary and secondary coils affects the output
voltage of the transformer. In fact the ratio of the output voltage to the input
voltage is the same as the ratio of the number of turns on the secondary to the
number of turns on the primary.

If the number of turns on the primary is greater than that on the secondary then
the voltage on the secondary will be less than that on the primary If there are
more turns on the secondary the output voltage will be larger.
If the secondary voltage is less than the primary voltage, the transformer is
known as a STEP- DOWN transformer. If the secondary voltage is greater than
the primary voltage it is known as a STEP- UP transformer.
A voltage change from primary to secondary will mean a current change also. If
the voltage is increased the current will be decreased and vice versa.
So a 20:1 step- down transformer for voltage will be a 20:1 step- up transformer
for current. Bigger currents need thicker wire and so step down transformers
have primary coils of thin wire and secondary coils of thick wire.
Examples of step up and step down transformers.
(a) Step down: electric mains clock, stereo, Substation, low voltage power
supplies, and audio systems in televisions.
(b) Step up: power station end of transmission cables, electron gun in a TV,
"starter" coils in fluorescent lights.

A Schematic of a transformer

Procedure:
1. Construct a transformer with a 60+120 turn coil as the
primary coil and wind a coil of 20 turns round the C-coil
as the secondary coil as shown in the figure.
2.

Connect the 60 turns and common terminals of the coil to the A.C. terminals of
the A.C. supply. Set the A.C. power supply to 3V. Connect the secondary to a
CRO to measure the peak voltage of the secondary coil.
(The marked value in the panel is the root mean square value of the applied
voltage.)
Move the secondary coil at different position on the core and notice the induced
e.m.f. on the CRO.

2. Construct a transformer with 60 turns coil as the primary and a 120 turns coil as
the secondary.
Apply 3V A. to the primary and measure the primary voltage on a CRO. Then,
measure the secondary voltage by the CRO. Change the secondary coil to 240
turns and measure the secondary voltage again.
3. Connect a 12V, 24W lamp across the secondary coil and find out how the
secondary voltage is affected.
4. Connect an A.C. ammeter to the primary coil and an
A.C. ammeter to the secondary coil. Set the voltage
of the primary coil at 3V. Find out the currents in the
primary and secondary coil with different number of
turns in the coils.

5. Estimate the power delivered to the primary and the power supplied to the
secondary coil.

Observation Tables:
Table (1):

No. of turns in secondary

Peak voltage in secondary Vs/V

120 turns

240 turns

Turn ratio Ns/Np

Voltage ratio Vs/Vp
Table (2):
No. of turns in primary Np

60 turns

60 turns

120 turns 120 turns

No. of turns in secondary

N
s
Current
in primary Ip / A

120 turns 240 turns 120 turns 240 turns

Current in secondary Is / A
Turn ratio Ns/Np
Current ratio Is/Ip

Table (3):
No. of turns in secondary coil
Current in primary coil Ip / A
Current in secondary coil Is / A
Voltage in primary coil Vp / V
Voltage in secondary coil Vs / V
Power delivered to the primary
coil
Power supplied to the
secondary
coilthe transformer
Efficiency of

120 turns

240 turns