IGCSE Physics / Electric motors and electromagnetic induction

Transmitting electricity: why the voltage is stepped up revision notes

Edexcel International GCSE Physics (4PH1), chapter 21: Electric motors and electromagnetic induction, specification point 6.18P. Part of the full course.

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Electricity is transmitted through the grid at a very high voltage so the current is low and less energy is wasted heating the cables. Transformers then reduce the voltage to a safe value before electricity reaches homes.

More lessons in Electric motors and electromagnetic induction

• The motor effect
• Fleming's left-hand rule
• The simple d.c. electric motor
• The loudspeaker
• Electromagnetic induction
• Generating electricity: the a.c. generator
• Transformers
• Transformer calculations