The great thing about a.c. electricity is that you can transform it! For instance, you can step its voltage up or down.

Transformers work on the principles of electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction.

The iron core increases the flux density (or field strength) in the secondary coils. The larger the number of coils, the greater the flux linkage and therefore the greater the induced e.m.f. in the secondary coil.

You must have an alternating current in the primary coil or the field will not be changing and no emf will be induced in the secondary.

If you change the number of turns in the coils you change the induced emf. This allows you to change (transform) the voltage from the primary to the secondary coil.

The Turns Rule is:

Where:

N_s = number of turns on the secondary coil

N_p = number of turns on the primary coil

V_s = voltage across the secondary coil

V_p = voltage across the primary coil

You should be able to draw circuits and outputs for half wave and full wave rectification circuits.

Placing a capacitor in parallel with the resistor smoothes the current through the resistor by providing extra charge when the supply voltage drops.

Transformers

The turns rule:

Transformers

N_s = the number of turns in the secondary coil

N_p = the number of turns in the primary coil

V_s = the voltage in the secondary coil

V_p = the voltage in the primary coil

I_s = the current in the secondary coil

I_p = the current in the primary coil