This definitions covers Key Terms within National Grid & Transformers for GCSE Physics. Revise National Grid & Transformers in Extra Topics for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 6 of 12 in this topic. Make sure you can use the exact wording confidently, because definition marks are often lost through vague language.
Topic position
Section 6 of 12
Practice
13 questions
Recall
12 flashcards
📖 Key Terms
- National Grid
- The network of cables, pylons, and transformers that distributes electrical power from power stations to homes, schools, and businesses across the country.
- Transformer
- A device that uses electromagnetic induction to change the voltage (and current) of an AC electrical supply, while keeping power approximately constant.
- Step-up transformer
- A transformer that increases voltage. Has more turns on the secondary coil than the primary coil. Used at power stations before transmission.
- Step-down transformer
- A transformer that decreases voltage. Has fewer turns on the secondary coil than the primary. Used at substations before supplying homes.
- Electromagnetic induction
- The production of a voltage (and current if in a closed circuit) when a conductor experiences a changing magnetic field.
- Turns ratio
- The ratio of turns on the primary coil to turns on the secondary coil, which equals the ratio of primary to secondary voltage.