Transformers (Circuits): Difference between revisions
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Electricity sent through power lines is transmitted with high voltages through long thick power lines because wires have a resistance that causes power loss at a rate proportional to the current squared. By transmitting at a high voltage, energy loss is minimized. Home appliances however operate at much lower voltages. Something is needed to convert the power to a high current, low voltage power that home appliances can use. This conversion from high voltage to low voltage, and vice versa, is accomplished by a transformer. | Electricity sent through power lines is transmitted with high voltages through long thick power lines because wires have a resistance that causes power loss at a rate proportional to the current squared. By transmitting at a high voltage, energy loss is minimized. Home appliances however operate at much lower voltages. Something is needed to convert the power to a high current, low voltage power that home appliances can use. This conversion from high voltage to low voltage, and vice versa, is accomplished by a transformer. | ||
Revision as of 11:35, 2 December 2015
Electricity sent through power lines is transmitted with high voltages through long thick power lines because wires have a resistance that causes power loss at a rate proportional to the current squared. By transmitting at a high voltage, energy loss is minimized. Home appliances however operate at much lower voltages. Something is needed to convert the power to a high current, low voltage power that home appliances can use. This conversion from high voltage to low voltage, and vice versa, is accomplished by a transformer.
Background
Inductance
Currents can be induced (produced) by changing the current through a coil. This is due to the changing magnetic field [math]\displaystyle{ \textstyle (dB/dt) }[/math] produced by varying the current through the coil. We know from the Maxwell-Faraday Law of Maxwell's Equations:
[math]\displaystyle{ |emf| = \oint \overrightarrow{E}_{NC} \cdot d\overrightarrow{l} = \left | \frac{d\phi_{mag}}{dt} \right \vert }[/math]
Or that a changing magnetic field through an area produces a non-Coloumb electric field.
Mathematical Formulae
Before moving on to a discussion of the mathematics of transformers, here are some formulas it will be helpful to recall:
Circuits
Examples
Be sure to show all steps in your solution and include diagrams whenever possible
Simple
Middling
Difficult
Connectedness
- How is this topic connected to something that you are interested in?
- How is it connected to your major?
- Is there an interesting industrial application?
History
See also
This will give you a general understanding of Faraday's Law, which is the basis behind transformer technology.
Inductance is another property of an electrical conductor derived from Faraday's law.
Changing the flux of a magnetic field around a coil will induce voltage.
Further reading
Books, Articles or other print media on this topic
External links
http://www.edisontechcenter.org/Transformers.html
References
Chabay, R., & Sherwood, B. (2015). Electric Potential. In Matter & interactions (4th ed., Vol. Two, pp. 920). Danvers, Massachusetts: J. Wiley & sons.