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Electromagnetism – WJECCalculating voltage

If electric current flows in a coil, it experiences a force and moves. Spinning a magnet in a coil of wire generates electricity. Transformers change the size of alternating voltages.

Part of Physics (Single Science)Electricity, energy and waves

Calculating voltage

The ratio between the voltages in the coils of a transformer is the same as the ratio of the number of turns in the coils.

\(\frac{\text{primary~voltage}}{\text{secondary~voltage}} = \frac{\text{turns~on~primary}}{\text{turns~on~secondary}}\)

This can also be written as,

\(\frac{\text{V}_{1}}{{\text{V}_{2}}} = \frac{\text{N}_{1}}{{\text{N}_{2}}}\)

Step-up transformers have more turns on the secondary coil than they do on the primary coil.

Step-down transformers have fewer turns on the secondary coil than they do on the primary coil.

Worked example

A transformer has 20 turns on the primary coil and 400 on the secondary coil. What is the output voltage if the input voltage is 500 V?

\(\frac{\text{V}_{1}}{{\text{V}_{2}}} = \frac{\text{N}_{1}}{{\text{N}_{2}}}\)

Therefore,

\(\frac{\text{V}_{2}}{{\text{V}_{1}}} = \frac{\text{N}_{2}}{{\text{N}_{1}}}\)

\(\frac{\text{V}_{2}}{500} = \frac{400}{20}\)

\(\text{V}_{2}= 500 \times \left (\frac{400}{20} \right )\)

\(\text{V}_{2} = {10,000{\text{ V}}}\)