INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ON
TESLA TOWER

Name :- Aditi Jani

Class :- 12

Roll No :- 1

School :- Podar International School, Gandhinagar

 Podar International School , Gandhinagar

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Aditi Jani a student of class XII,

has successfully completed the research project on the

topic “ TESLA TOWER”, under the guidance of Mr. Tushar Khakhi

References taken in making this project have been declared at the

end of the report.

Principal Teacher In-charge External Examiner

2| P a g e
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those

who have contributed to the completion of this
investigatory project. First and foremost, I extend my
heartfelt appreciation to my physics teacher, whose
guidance and support were invaluable throughout the
project. I am also thankful to my parents for their
encouragement and understanding during this project.
Additionally, I acknowledge the assistance provided by my
classmates and friends, whose collaboration enhanced the
quality of my work. Finally, I would like to acknowledge
the resources and facilities made available to me, without
which this project would not have been possible.

Mrs. Madhumita Bhattacharya :- (Principal)

Mr. Tushar Khakhi :- (PGT)
3| P a g e
 INDEX
Sr.
Topic Pg no.
no

1 Preface 5

2 Introduction 6-7
3 Working principle of tesla coil 8-12

4 Components of tesla coil 13-17

5 Procedure to make tesla coil 18-20

6 Advantages & Disadvantages 21-22

7 Conclusion 23

8 Bibliography 24

4| P a g e
 PREFACE
The Tesla coil was invented by Nikola Tesla in the late
19th century as part of his experiments with high-
frequency alternating current (AC) electricity. Tesla
developed the coil while exploring wireless power
transmission and experimenting with electrical resonance.
The Tesla coil functions through the principle of
electromagnetic induction in which a conductor is placed
in a changing magnetic field and produces voltage across
the conductor makes electricity flow. The invention by
Tesla is one of the most important inventions in the history
of physics, which later pushed away due to its
disadvantages, though having various advantages.
Miniature forms of these Tesla Coils are made as projects
for study with the help of locally available materials such
as coil, wire, battery, etc.

5| P a g e
 INTRODUCTION
The mirco Tesla coil, conceived by Nikola Tesla in 1891,
represents a remarkable advancement in electrical
engineering. This miniature version of the Tesla coil,
originally designed as an electrical resonant transformer
circuit, is capable of producing high-voltage, low-current,
high-frequency alternating-current electricity. With Tesla's
vision, it became more than just a tool for generating
electricity; it offered a potential way to transmit power
wirelessly through the air, laying the groundwork for
future innovations in wireless technology.
The Tesla coil stands as a testament to Tesla's genius
and the revolutionary nature of his inventions. As the
first system capable of wirelessly transmitting electricity, it
marked a significant milestone in the history of
electrical engineering.

6| P a g e
The application of tesla coil include:
• Spark gap radio transmitters
• Induction and dielectric heating
• Induction coils for medical devices
• Quack medical devices, Ozone generators
• Particle accelerators
• Electrical stage shows and entertainment
• Wireless power transmission
Tesla coils played a pivotal role in the early exploration of
wireless power transmission. Nikola Tesla envisioned a world
where electrical power could be transmitted wirelessly over great
distances, eliminating the need for a complex network of wires.
Tesla aimed to develop a system that could transmit electrical
energy without wires, using the Earth’s surface and atmosphere
as conductors. His ultimate goal was to provide free, wireless
electricity to everyone, regardless of location. Tesla’s most
ambitious project, the Warden Tower, was designed to achieve
this goal. The tower was intended to transmit power and
communication signals across the globe.

7| P a g e
 Working Principle of Tesla Coil
• Faraday’s Law of Magnetic Induction:
Faraday's Law of Magnetic Induction is a
fundamental principle that describes how a change in
magnetic flux through a circuit induces an
electromotive force (EMF) or voltage in the circuit.
The law is mathematically expressed as:

Which means that, when a conductor is placed under

a varying magnetic field, a small current will be
induced inside the conductor. For a Tesla coil, this
conductor will be called as the secondary coil and the
varying magnetic field will be produced by the
primary coil by passing an oscillating current through
the primary coil.

8| P a g e
The power of the Tesla coil lies in a process called
electromagnetic induction, i.e., a changing magnetic
field creates an electric potential that compels current
to flow. Conversely, flowing electric current generates
a magnetic field. When electricity flows through a
wound up coil of wire, it generates a magnetic field
that fills the area around the coil in a particular
pattern. When huge amount of energy is transmitted
through the coil, the magnetic field is exploited
resulting in the release of electric power.

9| P a g e
• High-Frequency Alternating Current (AC)
Generation:
Tesla coils are designed to generate high-frequency
alternating current (AC). The typical household
electricity operates at low frequencies (50-60 Hz), but
Tesla coils operate at much higher frequencies, often
in the range of tens to hundreds of kilohertz (kHz).
Why High Frequency?
High-frequency AC is crucial for wireless
transmission because it can produce electromagnetic
waves capable of propagating through the air
efficiently. Lower frequency currents would not be as
effective for this purpose.

• Resonant Inductive Coupling:

The core principle behind Tesla coils and wireless
transmission is resonant inductive coupling. This
involves two coils – a primary coil and a secondary
coil – each with its own capacitor to form a tuned
circuit. These circuits are designed to resonate at the
same frequency.

10| P a g e
Resonance: Resonance occurs when the natural
frequency of the circuit matches the frequency of the
oscillating current. At resonance, the energy transfer
between the primary and secondary coils is
maximized.
Induction: The primary coil, connected to a power
source, generates a magnetic field when current flows
through it. This magnetic field induces a voltage in
the nearby secondary coil, as per Faraday’s Law of
Magnetic Induction.
• Energy Transfer Mechanism:
When the primary coil is energized, it creates an
oscillating magnetic field due to the high-frequency
AC. This magnetic field induces an alternating
voltage in the secondary coil.

Primary Coil:
The primary coil is connected to a capacitor and a
spark gap (in traditional Tesla coils). When the
capacitor discharges through the spark gap, it creates
a sudden burst of high-frequency AC in the primary
coil.
11| P a g e
Magnetic Field Creation:
The alternating current in the primary coil
generates a rapidly changing magnetic field.
Induction in Secondary Coil:
This magnetic field induces a corresponding high-
frequency AC in the secondary coil, which is
tuned to resonate at the same frequency as the
primary coil. This resonance ensures maximum
energy transfer.

12| P a g e
 COMPONENTS OF TESLA COIL
Resistor:
A resistor is a component that opposes a flowing
current. Every conductor has a specific resistance, if
one applies a voltage or potential difference V at the
terminals of the resistor, then the current I passing
through is given by Ohm’s Law.
Here, a resistor of resistance 2.2k ohm is used 2.2k is
a high resistance which is equal to 22000 ohms which
results in less current hence producing less heat which
will be safe for the circuit.

13| P a g e
Transistor:
The transistor helps to make the frequency of AC equal to
resonant frequency to the coil by a feedback mechanism.
You need not have to manually 'tune' the primary and
secondary coil it is the transistor that 'auto tunes' the mini
tesla.A high current high frequency transistor like 2N2222
is used to supply current through the primary coil.

Connecting wires:
Connecting wires allows an electrical current to travel
from one point on a circuit to another because electricity
needs a medium through which it can move. Most of the
connecting wires are made up of copper or aluminum ,
bounded with plastic.

14| P a g e
Copper Wire:
Enameled copper wire or magnetic wire is coated
with a thin layer of insulation. It is used in
transformers, motors, speakers, almost all the
electrical appliances. Some require tight coils of the
wire.

A copper wire is used to improve the energy

efficiency in appliances. Here copper wire is
wounded upon an insulator to conduct voltage and
electricity. Finer wire is used for lower current.

15| P a g e
Battery:
An electric battery is a device consisting one or more
electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy
into electrical energy. Each cell contains a positive
terminal and a negative terminal. Electrolytes inside allow
the ions to move between the terminals, which allows the
current to flow and perform work. Here a 9V battery is
used.

Switch:
ON/OFF switch is used to turn on or off the power supply
in the circuit as and when required.

16| P a g e
 Circuit Diagram
The main component in this circuit is the secondary
coil, which is made by winding a magnetic wire
around a cylindrical object (any non conductive
object).
A high current high frequency transistor like 2N2222
is used to supply current through the primary coil. The
whole set up is powered by a 9V battery as shown
above. Whenever the transistor conducts, current is
flown through the primary coil. The LED diode and
one end of the secondary coil is also connected to
base of transistor to make the circuit oscillate, this
way the transistor will send a oscillating current into
primary coil.

17| P a g e
 Procedure To Make Tesla Coil
1) Wind the copper wire (secondary coil) closely
around the PVC pipe (or a cylindrical non
conducting object) as close as possible, without
overlapping one another.

2) Attach a small ball wrapped in aluminium foil on

the top end of the pipe.

3) Stick the cylinder on a proper base where the

connections have to be made.

4) Take a connecting wire (primary coil) and wind

it around the cylinder so that both the ends of
that wire is at the base.

5) Connect the 2.2k resistor and lower end of the

copper wire to the base terminal of the
transistor.

6) Connect one end of the primary coil to the

collecting terminal of the transistor.
18| P a g e
7) Take a small piece of another connecting wore
and connect one end to the resistor and the
other to the other end of the primary coil.

8) Take a battery snap and connect the negative

terminal (black) to the emitter terminal of the
transistor.

9) Connect the positive terminal (red) of the snap to

a switch.

10) Take another small piece of wire and connect

one end to the switch and the other to the
transistor.

11) Connect the 9V battery to the battery snap.

12) Place a 5V CFL bulb near the coil.

13) You can place a LED bulb in the circuit to

check whether the current is flowing, if
necessary
19| P a g e
Result:
The CFL lamp brought near the Tesla Coil gets
lighten up due to the transmission of electricity
through air.

20| P a g e
Advantages & Disadvantages

ADVANTAGES

• Non radiative energy transfer is safe for people

and animals.
• Wastage of Power is less.
• Provides high efficiency over large distance.
• Does not interfere with radio-waves.
• With widespread use, it could eliminate costly
batteries.
• Mini tesla coils can be used as household ,ie,
can be used at the time of power cuts and for
emergencies.

21| P a g e
DISADVANTAGES
• It's deeply inefficient. Power you can
receive drops off exponentially as you
move further away.
• It's impractical. The magnetic field generated
by such a device would cause all sorts of noise
in any unshielded electronic device.
• It's impractical. The cost of such a system
would be immense, and the cost for
powering it would be exponentially more
than a direct power line.
• The Tesla coil operates at a high enough
frequency that the current from the output
does not penetrate the skin. So you won't be
shocked by it. But for a large
Tesla coil there is enough current that it can
burn the skin. It has both high voltage and high
current.

Due to all these disadvantages and harmful

effects of it, the idea of tesla coils are rarely
used nowadays. But the students still consider
this as a good application of physics and often
study and research about it.
22| P a g e
 CONCLUSION
A Tesla Tower is a simple coil that creates a high
voltage electric field in the air when a small input
power (9V) is provided, this electric filed is strong
enough to glow small light bulbs. This principle was
invented by the Nicola Tesla, who also holds the
credit for inventing Induction Motors, AC current,
neon bulbs, Remote controls, etc.

The Tesla tower works with the principle of

Electromagnetic Induction. According to which,
when a conductor is placed under a varying magnetic
field, a small current will be induced inside the
conductor. For a Tesla coil this conductor will be
called as the secondary coil and the varying magnetic
field will be produced by the primary coil by passing
an oscillating current through the primary coil. The
current transmitted out can be thus light a CFL lamp
placed close to it, which means , the concept wireless
electricity found by Tesla was true.

23| P a g e
 Bibliography

The Geek Group Tesla Coil Guide

Step-by-step instructions for building Tesla coils,
including schematics and safety guidelines.
Website: thegeekgroup.org

Tesla Universe
A hub for Tesla coil enthusiasts, with historical data,
forums, and technical guides.
Website: teslauniverse.com

OneTesla
Offers kits and educational materials for building
small musical Tesla coils.
Website: onetesla.com

24| P a g e
 INVESTIGATORY PROJECT
ON
TESLA TOWER

Name :- Aditi Jani

Class :- 12

Roll No :-

School :- Podar International School, Gandhinagar

 Podar International School , Gandhinagar

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Aditi Jani a student of class XII,

has successfully completed the research project on the

topic “ TESLA TOWER”, under the guidance of Mr. Tushar Khakhi

References taken in making this project have been declared at the

end of the report.

Principal Teacher In-charge External Examiner

2| P a g e
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gra tude to all those

who have contributed to the comple on of this
inves gatory project. First and foremost, I extend my
hear$elt apprecia on to my physics teacher, whose
guidance and support were invaluable throughout the
project. I am also thankful to my parents for their
encouragement and understanding during this project.
Addi onally, I acknowledge the assistance provided by my
classmates and friends, whose collabora on enhanced the
quality of my work. Finally, I would like to acknowledge
the resources and facili es made available to me, without
which this project would not have been possible.

Mrs. Madhumita Bhattacharya :- (Principal)

Mr. Tushar Khakhi :- (PGTphysics)
3| P a g e
 INDEX
Sr.
Topic Pg no.
no

1 Preface 5

2 Introduc on 6-7
3 Working principle of tesla coil 8-12

4 Components of tesla coil 13-17

5 Procedure to make tesla coil 18-20

6 Advantages & Disadvantages 21-22

7 Conclusion 23

8 Bibliography 24

4| P a g e
 PREFACE
The Tesla coil was invented by Nikola Tesla in the late
19th century as part of his experiments with high-
frequency alternating current (AC) electricity. Tesla
developed the coil while exploring wireless power
transmission and experimenting with electrical resonance.
The Tesla coil functions through the principle of
electromagnetic induction in which a conductor is placed
in a changing magnetic field and produces voltage across
the conductor makes electricity flow. The invention by
Tesla is one of the most important inventions in the history
of physics, which later pushed away due to its
disadvantages, though having various advantages.
Miniature forms of these Tesla Coils are made as projects
for study with the help of locally available materials such
as coil, wire, battery, etc.

5| P a g e
 INTRODUCTION
The mirco Tesla coil, conceived by Nikola Tesla in 1891,
represents a remarkable advancement in electrical
engineering. This miniature version of the Tesla coil,
originally designed as an electrical resonant transformer
circuit, is capable of producing high-voltage, low-current,
high-frequency alternating-current electricity. With Tesla's
vision, it became more than just a tool for generating
electricity; it offered a potential way to transmit power
wirelessly through the air, laying the groundwork for
future innovations in wireless technology.
The Tesla coil stands as a testament to Tesla's genius
and the revolutionary nature of his inventions. As the
first system capable of wirelessly transmitting electricity, it
marked a significant milestone in the history of
electrical engineering.

6| P a g e
The application of tesla coil include:
 Spark gap radio transmitters
 Induction and dielectric heating
 Induction coils for medical devices
 Quack medical devices, Ozone generators
 Particle accelerators
 Electrical stage shows and entertainment
 Wireless power transmission
Tesla coils played a pivotal role in the early exploration of
wireless power transmission. Nikola Tesla envisioned a world
where electrical power could be transmitted wirelessly over great
distances, eliminating the need for a complex network of wires.
Tesla aimed to develop a system that could transmit electrical
energy without wires, using the Earth’s surface and atmosphere
as conductors. His ultimate goal was to provide free, wireless
electricity to everyone, regardless of location. Tesla’s most
ambitious project, the Warden Tower, was designed to achieve
this goal. The tower was intended to transmit power and
communication signals across the globe.

7| P a g e
 Working Principle of Tesla Coil
 Faraday’s Law of Magnetic Induction:
Faraday's Law of Magnetic Induction is a
fundamental principle that describes how a change in
magnetic flux through a circuit induces an
electromotive force (EMF) or voltage in the circuit.
The law is mathematically expressed as:

Which means that, when a conductor is placed under

a varying magnetic field, a small current will be
induced inside the conductor. For a Tesla coil, this
conductor will be called as the secondary coil and the
varying magnetic field will be produced by the
primary coil by passing an oscillating current through
the primary coil.

8| P a g e
The power of the Tesla coil lies in a process called
electromagnetic induction, i.e., a changing magnetic
field creates an electric potential that compels current
to flow. Conversely, flowing electric current generates
a magnetic field. When electricity flows through a
wound up coil of wire, it generates a magnetic field
that fills the area around the coil in a particular
pattern. When huge amount of energy is transmitted
through the coil, the magnetic field is exploited
resulting in the release of electric power.

9| P a g e
 High-Frequency Alternating Current (AC)
Generation:
Tesla coils are designed to generate high-frequency
alternating current (AC). The typical household
electricity operates at low frequencies (50-60 Hz), but
Tesla coils operate at much higher frequencies, often
in the range of tens to hundreds of kilohertz (kHz).
Why High Frequency?
High-frequency AC is crucial for wireless
transmission because it can produce electromagnetic
waves capable of propagating through the air
efficiently. Lower frequency currents would not be as
effective for this purpose.

 Resonant Inductive Coupling:

The core principle behind Tesla coils and wireless
transmission is resonant inductive coupling. This
involves two coils – a primary coil and a secondary
coil – each with its own capacitor to form a tuned
circuit. These circuits are designed to resonate at the
same frequency.

10| P a g e
Resonance: Resonance occurs when the natural
frequency of the circuit matches the frequency of the
oscillating current. At resonance, the energy transfer
between the primary and secondary coils is
maximized.
Induction: The primary coil, connected to a power
source, generates a magnetic field when current flows
through it. This magnetic field induces a voltage in
the nearby secondary coil, as per Faraday’s Law of
Magnetic Induction.
 Energy Transfer Mechanism:
When the primary coil is energized, it creates an
oscillating magnetic field due to the high-frequency
AC. This magnetic field induces an alternating
voltage in the secondary coil.

Primary Coil:
The primary coil is connected to a capacitor and a
spark gap (in traditional Tesla coils). When the
capacitor discharges through the spark gap, it creates
a sudden burst of high-frequency AC in the primary
coil.
11| P a g e
Magnetic Field Creation:
The alternating current in the primary coil
generates a rapidly changing magnetic field.
Induction in Secondary Coil:
This magnetic field induces a corresponding high-
frequency AC in the secondary coil, which is
tuned to resonate at the same frequency as the
primary coil. This resonance ensures maximum
energy transfer.

12| P a g e
 COMPONENTS OF TESLA COIL
Resistor:
A resistor is a component that opposes a flowing
current. Every conductor has a specific resistance, if
one applies a voltage or potential difference V at the
terminals of the resistor, then the current I passing
through is given by Ohm’s Law.
Here, a resistor of resistance 2.2k ohm is used 2.2k is
a high resistance which is equal to 22000 ohms which
results in less current hence producing less heat which
will be safe for the circuit.

13| P a g e
Transistor:
The transistor helps to make the frequency of AC equal to
resonant frequency to the coil by a feedback mechanism.
You need not have to manually 'tune' the primary and
secondary coil it is the transistor that 'auto tunes' the mini
tesla.A high current high frequency transistor like 2N2222
is used to supply current through the primary coil.

Connecting wires:
Connec ng wires allows an electrical current to travel
from one point on a circuit to another because electricity
needs a medium through which it can move. Most of the
connec ng wires are made up of copper or aluminum ,
bounded with plas c.

14| P a g e
Copper Wire:
Enameled copper wire or magnetic wire is coated
with a thin layer of insulation. It is used in
transformers, motors, speakers, almost all the
electrical appliances. Some require tight coils of the
wire.

A copper wire is used to improve the energy

efficiency in appliances. Here copper wire is
wounded upon an insulator to conduct voltage and
electricity. Finer wire is used for lower current.

15| P a g e
Battery:
An electric ba@ery is a device consis ng one or more
electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy
into electrical energy. Each cell contains a posi ve
terminal and a nega ve terminal. Electrolytes inside allow
the ions to move between the terminals, which allows the
current to flow and perform work. Here a 9V ba@ery is
used.

Switch:
ON/OFF switch is used to turn on or off the power supply
in the circuit as and when required.

16| P a g e
 Circuit Diagram
The main component in this circuit is the secondary
coil, which is made by winding a magnetic wire
around a cylindrical object (any non conductive
object).
A high current high frequency transistor like 2N2222
is used to supply current through the primary coil. The
whole set up is powered by a 9V ba@ery as shown
above. Whenever the transistor conducts, current is
flown through the primary coil. The LED diode and
one end of the secondary coil is also connected to
base of transistor to make the circuit oscillate, this
way the transistor will send a oscilla ng current into
primary coil.

17| P a g e
 Procedure To Make Tesla Coil
1) Wind the copper wire (secondary coil) closely
around the PVC pipe (or a cylindrical non
conduc ng object) as close as possible, without
overlapping one another.

2) A@ach a small ball wrapped in aluminium foil on

the top end of the pipe.

3) S ck the cylinder on a proper base where the

connec ons have to be made.

4) Take a connec ng wire (primary coil) and wind

it around the cylinder so that both the ends of
that wire is at the base.

5) Connect the 2.2k resistor and lower end of the

copper wire to the base terminal of the
transistor.

6) Connect one end of the primary coil to the

collec ng terminal of the transistor.
18| P a g e
7) Take a small piece of another connec ng wore
and connect one end to the resistor and the
other to the other end of the primary coil.

8) Take a ba@ery snap and connect the nega ve

terminal (black) to the emi@er terminal of the
transistor.

9) Connect the posi ve terminal (red) of the snap to

a switch.

10) Take another small piece of wire and connect

one end to the switch and the other to the
transistor.

11) Connect the 9V ba@ery to the ba@ery snap.

12) Place a 5V CFL bulb near the coil.

13) You can place a LED bulb in the circuit to

check whether the current is flowing, if
necessary
19| P a g e
Result:
The CFL lamp brought near the Tesla Coil gets
lighten up due to the transmission of electricity
through air.

20| P a g e
Advantages & Disadvantages

ADVANTAGES

 Non radia ve energy transfer is safe for people

and animals.
 Wastage of Power is less.
 Provides high efficiency over large distance.
 Does not interfere with radio-waves.
 With widespread use, it could eliminate costly
ba@eries.
 Mini tesla coils can be used as household ,ie,
can be used at the me of power cuts and for
emergencies.

21| P a g e
DISADVANTAGES
 It's deeply inefficient. Power you can
receive drops off exponen ally as you
move further away.
 It's imprac cal. The magne c field generated
by such a device would cause all sorts of noise
in any unshielded electronic device.
 It's imprac cal. The cost of such a system
would be immense, and the cost for
powering it would be exponen ally more
than a direct power line.
 The Tesla coil operates at a high enough
frequency that the current from the output
does not penetrate the skin. So you won't be
shocked by it. But for a large
Tesla coil there is enough current that it can
burn the skin. It has both high voltage and high
current.

Due to all these disadvantages and harmful

effects of it, the idea of tesla coils are rarely
used nowadays. But the students still consider
this as a good application of physics and often
study and research about it.
22| P a g e
 CONCLUSION
A Tesla Tower is a simple coil that creates a high
voltage electric field in the air when a small input
power (9V) is provided, this electric filed is strong
enough to glow small light bulbs. This principle was
invented by the Nicola Tesla, who also holds the
credit for inventing Induction Motors, AC current,
neon bulbs, Remote controls, etc.

The Tesla tower works with the principle of

Electromagnetic Induction. According to which,
when a conductor is placed under a varying magnetic
field, a small current will be induced inside the
conductor. For a Tesla coil this conductor will be
called as the secondary coil and the varying magnetic
field will be produced by the primary coil by passing
an oscillating current through the primary coil. The
current transmitted out can be thus light a CFL lamp
placed close to it, which means , the concept wireless
electricity found by Tesla was true.

23| P a g e
 Bibliography

The Geek Group Tesla Coil Guide

Step-by-step instructions for building Tesla coils,
including schematics and safety guidelines.
Website: thegeekgroup.org

Tesla Universe
A hub for Tesla coil enthusiasts, with historical data,
forums, and technical guides.
Website: teslauniverse.com

OneTesla
Offers kits and educational materials for building
small musical Tesla coils.
Website: onetesla.com

24| P a g e