Power generation and transmission

Understandings:

• Alternating current (ac) generators
• Average power and root mean square (rms) values of current and voltage
• Transformers
• Diode bridges
• Half-wave and full-wave rectification

Applications and skills:

• Explaining the operation of a basic ac generator, including the effect of changing the generator frequency
• Solving problems involving the average power in an ac circuit
• Solving problems involving step-up and step-down transformers
• Describing the use of transformers in ac electrical power distribution
• Investigating a diode bridge rectification circuit experimentally
• Qualitatively describing the effect of adding a capacitor to a diode bridge rectification circuit

Guidance:

• Calculations will be restricted to ideal transformers but students should be aware of some of the reasons why real transformers are not ideal (for example: flux leakage, joule heating, eddy current heating, magnetic hysteresis)
• Proof of the relationship between the peak and rms values will not be expected