Electricity & Magnetism

Communicating Coils

This exhibit demonstrates the operation of a device called a transformer. A coil of wire place near (but not connecte), to a similar coil is "pulsed" with a flow of electricity, and it creates a current in the second coil as proven by momentarily glowing a bulb in its circuit. Transformers transmit only changing signals from one coil to another, which is why the light only glows when you induce the electricity in the first coil. Small transformers are used to transmit changing voice signals in many telephones. Large transformers assist in the transmission of electric power.