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Question
What is a transformer? On what principle does it work?
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Solution
A transformer is device by which the amplitude of an alternating e.m.f. can be increased or decreased.
RELATED QUESTIONS
The teachers of Geeta’s school took the students on a study trip to a power generating station, located nearly 200 km away from the city. The teacher explained that electrical energy is transmitted over such a long distance to their city, in the form of alternating current (ac) raised to a high voltage. At the receiving end in the city, the voltage is reduced to operate the devices. As a result, the power loss is reduced. Geeta listened to the teacher and asked questions about how the ac is converted to a higher or lower voltage.
1) Name the device used to change the alternating voltage to a higher or lower value. State one cause for power dissipation in this device.
2) Explain with an example, how power loss is reduced if the energy is transmitted over long distances as an alternating current rather than a direct current.
3) Write two values each shown by the teachers and Geeta.
In a transformer, the frequency of A.C. voltage ______.
Mention the various energy losses in a transformer.
Read the following paragraph and answer the question:

Long distance power transmissions
The large-scale transmission and distribution of electrical energy over long distances is done with the use of transformers. The voltage output of the generator is stepped up. It is then transmitted over long distances to an area sub-station near the consumers. There the voltage is stepped down. It is further stepped down at distributing sub-stations and utility poles before a power supply of 240 V reaches our homes.
If the secondary coil has a greater number of turns than the primary, ______.
A transformer is essentially an a.c. device. It cannot work on d.c. It changes alternating voltages or currents. It does not affect the frequency of a.c. It is based on the phenomenon of mutual induction. A transformer essentially consists of two coils of insulated copper wire having different numbers of turns and wound on the same soft iron core.
The number of turns in the primary and secondary coils of an ideal transformer is 2000 and 50 respectively. The primary coil is connected to a main supply of 120 V and secondary coil is connected to a bulb of resistance 0.6 Ω.
The value of voltage across the secondary coil is ______.
Electrical energy is transmitted over large distances at high alternating voltages. Which of the following statements is (are) correct?
- For a given power level, there is a lower current.
- Lower current implies less power loss.
- Transmission lines can be made thinner.
- It is easy to reduce the voltage at the receiving end using step-down transformers.
1 MW power is to be delivered from a power station to a town 10 km away. One uses a pair of Cu wires of radius 0.5 cm for this purpose. Calculate the fraction of ohmic losses to power transmitted if
- power is transmitted at 220 V. Comment on the feasibility of doing this.
- a step-up transformer is used to boost the voltage to 11000 V, power transmitted, then a step-down transfomer is used to bring voltage to 220 V. (ρCu = 1.7 × 10–8 SI unit)
Magnetic flux passing through a coil is initially 4 × 10-4 Wb. It reduces to 10% of its original value in t second. If the emf induced is 0. 72 mV then t in second is ______.
In an ideal transformer, the turns ratio is `N_p/N_s = 1/2`. The ratio Vs : Vp is equal to (the symbols carry their usual meaning):
