DP IB Physics: HL

Revision Notes

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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11.2.4 Transformer Calculations

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Transformer Calculations

  • The transformer equation is:

epsilon subscript p over epsilon subscript s equals N subscript p over N subscript s

  • Where:
    • Ns = number of turns in the secondary coil
    • Np = number of turns in the primary coil
    • εs = output voltage from the secondary coil (V)
    • εp = input voltage in the primary coil (V)

There are two types of transformers:

  • Step-up transformer (increases the voltage of the power source) where Ns > Np
  • Step-down transformer (decreases the voltage of the power source) where Np > Ns
  • For an ideal transformer, there is no electrical energy lost and it is 100% efficient
  • This means the power in the primary coil equals the power in the second coil;

epsilon subscript p over epsilon subscript s equals N subscript p over N subscript s equals I subscript s over I subscript p

  • Where:
    • Ip = current in the primary coil (A)
    • Is = output current from the secondary coil (A)

Worked example

A step-down transformer turns a primary voltage of 0.5 kV into a secondary voltage of 100 V. Calculate the number of turns needed in the secondary coil if the primary coil contains 3000 turns of wire.

Step 1: List the known quantities

    • Primary voltage, εp = 0.5 kV = 0.5 × 103 V
    • Secondary voltage, εs = 100 V
    • Number of turns in the primary coil, Np = 3000 turns

Step 2: Write down the transformer equation

epsilon subscript p over epsilon subscript s equals N subscript p over N subscript s

Step 3: Rearrange for number of turns in the secondary coil

N subscript s equals fraction numerator N subscript p cross times epsilon subscript s over denominator epsilon subscript p end fraction

Step 4: Substitute in the values

N subscript s equals fraction numerator 3000 cross times 100 over denominator 500 end fraction = 600 turns

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Lindsay Gilmour

Author: Lindsay Gilmour

Lindsay graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Greenwich and earned her Science Communication MSc at Imperial College London. Now with many years’ experience as a Head of Physics and Examiner for A Level and IGCSE Physics (and Biology!), her love of communicating, educating and Physics has brought her to Save My Exams where she hopes to help as many students as possible on their next steps.