Transformer in Step-Down/Step-Up Voltage Experiment

Objective

The objective of this experiment is to demonstrate how a transformer can be used to step up or step down voltage, and to observe the relationship between the turns ratio and voltage levels on the primary and secondary coils.

Required Components

Circuit Setup

This experiment will involve connecting the primary side of the transformer to an AC power source and measuring the voltage on the secondary side in both step-up and step-down configurations.

  1. Connect the primary coil of the transformer to an AC power source (e.g., 230V).
  2. On the secondary side, connect a load resistor across the output to simulate a load.
  3. Use a multimeter to measure the output voltage on the secondary side of the transformer.
  4. Reverse the transformer connections (primary to secondary and secondary to primary) to observe step-up or step-down behavior.

Experiment Steps

  1. Set the transformer in a step-down configuration by connecting the high voltage side (primary) to the AC power source and the low voltage side (secondary) to the load.
  2. Measure the input voltage on the primary side using a multimeter, then measure the output voltage on the secondary side.
  3. Record the voltage levels and calculate the step-down ratio by comparing the primary and secondary voltages.
  4. Reverse the connections to create a step-up transformer. Connect the low voltage side (now primary) to the AC source and the high voltage side (now secondary) to the load resistor.
  5. Measure the input and output voltages again and calculate the step-up ratio.
  6. Optionally, use an oscilloscope to visualize the AC waveforms on both the primary and secondary sides.

Analysis

Analyze the voltage measurements by comparing the step-up and step-down voltage ratios with the theoretical transformer turns ratio. The voltage ratio should ideally match the turns ratio of the transformer. Any discrepancies can be attributed to losses or inefficiencies in the transformer.

Conclusion

Through this experiment, you have demonstrated how a transformer can be used to step up or step down voltage levels in an AC circuit. This is a key principle in power distribution, where transformers are commonly used to reduce transmission losses by stepping up voltage for long-distance transmission and stepping it down for local use.