012-03800A
How to Use This Manual
The best way to leam to use the PASCO Basic Coils Set or follow'ed nry 4 experiments for your students to get started
the PASCO Cornplete Coils Set (referred to collectively as on. The experirnents are ready to send to the copy roorn.
PASCO Coils Set) is to speutl sorne tirne experimenting rvith
The Appendix contains technical data on the construction
it. Vy'e've organized this ma¡ual to get you started as
and operation of the coils.
quickly as possible. We strongly recornmend that you read
the Introduction and Experiments sections f,irst. These are
lntroduction
The PASCO scientific SF-8616 Basic Coils Set and SF-8617 betweeil magnet and coil is needed. The effect of
Conrplete Coils Set provide necessary parts to experimen- versus nroving fast can be demonstrated.
tally ilvestigate relationships involved with electromagnet-
Fiually. the ntuber of coils of wire andrepeating
isrn and electromagnetic induction. Coupled with a galva-
rrometer, an accurate A,C, voltmetsr, an A.C. amnrster. ¿n
the will complete an initial iuvestigation. These
are generally serni-quantitative, focusing on
oscilloscope and at A.C. power supply. little else is needed
relative and directions. Another tvay to change the
to carry out studies in this irnportant area.
ma$1etic is to provide an akernating magnetic field
Additional equiprnent which is reconunended includes small through use ofa second coil and an altentating current.
but strong nlagnets such as the ones found in the PASCO See 3
SE-8604 Bar Magnet Set. low coüstant springs, ring stands,
a ruagnetic corlpass and iron frlings.
One can study basic electromagnetism. The direction of the
winclings is shown on the top of each coil, allowing the
relationship between current direction and the direcüon of
the resulting rnagnctic field to be sturdied. See Figure 1.
4r 4r
OUT
Figure
@
The Coils Set provides multiple coils and cores to experi-
d-c- power
ment with this principle. These investigations lead to the
basio relationships ínvolved in transforarers, and lead to
more advanced studies of self- and mutual-induction.
ñ
compas§
With the addition of
two magnets and small
Figure springs, a classic
1
interaction ofinduced -T
Using a coil fiont either
current ard electro- I
kit, it is easy to demon-
magnetic effects, plus t
shate that a moving coil
simple hamronic
of lvirc oear a magn€t, or
I rlotion, can be studied.
a uroving n¡agüet near a
coil of rvire rvill induce a
rm GatYanometer
See Figrrqe 4.
voltage, and therefore a
cltrreüt. simply moYe a
i
i
' Figure 4
i
lnagnet into the coil as
Suggested Experimental Approach
s.lrown in F-igure 2, an,d a
galvanorneter will shorv a Figure 2 Demonstrate the basio principle of using the cors and trvo
ctrrrcnt flow. coils to make a transfonner. Show coils, core(s), supplies.
Moving the rnagnet back out will yield a current in the loads, rneters. etc. flave shrdents develop areas ofinvestiga-
opposite direction. Reversing the mapet will reverse the tion and then proceed to carry them out. "Researrh teauls"
relative currentso also. Leaving the mapet at rest inside the could investigate different factors and then cornbinc their
coil rvill produce no current. 'fhus, a change ia relationship results for a cornprehensive look at transfonners.
PhSGlDsc¡mtiñc i
01?-03800A
Equipmenf S d
Your SF-8616 Basic Coils Set cornes with the itenx shown in F'igure 5a:
a. (l) SF-8609 200-ftrrn Coil
b. (2) SF'-8610 400-írrn Coils
c. (l) SF-861I 800-turn Coil
d. (l) SF-8614 U-shaped Core
e. (l) Manual
Your SF-8617 Courplete Coils Set comes rvith all of the items in the SIi-8616 Basio Coils Set along with the following
additional iterrs, as shown in Figure 5b:
f. (1) SF-8612 1600-turnCoil
g. (t) SF--8613 3200-tum Coit
h. (2) SF-8615 E-shaped Core
PASCO
d
b Manual
b k
e
c
Figure 5a
Figure 5b
) ñAS1§Osc¡e,ntific
0t2-01800A
Expr:iments
Nature of Magnetic Field from an Electro-
magnet
t
The coils from your PASCO Coils Set cau be r¡sed in
coqiunction with a rt.c. power supply or a trattery to produce ':+.'l'-
constant magnetic frelds. Tkee possitrle experiments are
shown belorv.
:==-I oo Figure 8b
= =-t-'
f\-l @
d.c-
$
compass
t§-l
ALTERNATIVE: Small magnetic compasses can be used to
probe around the coil to show its magnetic field.
Figure 9 shorvs a current carryiag coil with a magnetic field
inside, The cross-piece from the U-shaped Core is shown
Figure 6 inserted in the coil, although the sarne experiment can be
In F'igure 6, a d.c. power supply is connected to the coil, A performed wiüout the core. The strerigth of the electromag-
nearby rnagnetic cotnpass is used to shotv the presence of a net thus produced could be tested in a number of ways,
magnetic flietd and its direction. By noting the direction of including the use of the PASCO SF-8606 Digital Gaussl
tlrc windings on flre coil (See Figure 7), students can develop Tesla Meter. Note that the dramatic increase in magnetic
the r¡le for cumcnt direction aud the resulting magnetic field field strength wiü the addition of a core cau be clearly
direction. This experirnental setup can be quantified, leading demonstrated
to a detennination of how uruch current, through how many
lt¡¡'ns. is needcd to pro.dr.rce a magnetic field equal to the
carth's ficld. Specifics ofthe experirnental design are left to
thc teacher and sttrdent. ñ@
d.c
Figure 7 amperes
Figure I
ln Figr.ue 8a and 8b, a coil is shown u,'ith its magnetic a,xis Solenaid
parallel to the table. A piece ofcardboard is rnounted so that
If the cross piece lrorn the U-shaped Core is inserted into a
it can be iuserted into the ceuter ofthe coil and extend
coil, but uot centered, it will be pulled into the coil when the
beyond it on all sides. Iron filings are then sprinkled on the
altemating current is turned on. This denionstrates the basic
cardl¡oard aroturd the end of the current carrying coil. The
action of"a solenoid. ln experiments tvith the 400-turn coil, a
tnagnctic ñeld pattern can be quickly demonstratscl.
voltage of 8-10 volts A.C. was successful in demonstrating
this principle, See Figure 10.
I
lrcn Core ac po*acr
Figure 8a
Figure 10
FllSGlDsc¡srnc 3
012-03800A
Electromagnetic lnduction showcd a drop-offto an output voltagc of less than 207o
from the inprrt voltage rvhen the trvo 400-tur¡r coils tvere
Use a small, relatively sEoug bar magnet to dernonstrate used in this manner.
electromagnetic induction. It is only üecessary to move the
magnot up and clown in the ceirter of the coil. lf the soil is
attached to a gah,anoureter, the relative size ofthe induced
clurent and the dir.ection can be noted. See Figure ti.
rc votb
a
aq po?e¡
I
Galvanoretar
Figure 11
Figure 14
To iruprove the mutual induction. an iron core can bc
introduced. ,iee Figure 15. Using the cross piece from the
U-shaped co¡e, thc induced voltage increased to almost 50oá
A secoud way of showing the effect is to cosoect the coil to of the prirnary voltage under the sanre conditions as above.
anoscilloscope. See Figure 12
I ffi
\IIEE¡7 Figure 12
Figure 15
-@ Primary §econdary
-a
Numerous modifications ofthe cores which are provided can
NOTE: A galvanometer shows the current be investigated. ln each case, the ratio ofsecondary voltage
prodrrced, which should be proportional to the size to primary voltage is noted. The vad¿bles in fhis situation
of the inducedvoltage. Due to mechanical damp- thus become: Primary Nuurber of Turns, Secondary Nurnber
iirg, galvanometers do not rise to the maximum of Tums. Existence of a Core, Shape of the Core, Primary
value, but give useñll semlquantitative measure- Voltage, Priruary Current, Secondary Voltage and Secondary
ments of the maximrmr curretts. An oscilloscope Current. Students can be led on directed studies, or given
shorvs the size of the induced voltage direct§, and the materials to develop their own experirnents. Soare
gives a rnore instantaneous value. possibilities ,¡re shown in Figure l6 below.
The set-up below gives a method of "autonratically" shorv-
ing the induced voltage. A light spring which gives a nicc
sinple hamronic motion rvith the attached magnet is needed.
Note that the rnethod of atlaching the tnagnet is via a
l¿ffi
a
rnachine nut rvhich is hooked to the spring and held by the r@
rnagnetic field of the magret. See Figure 13.
Without Cross Bar
l
:
MI
Figure 13
I
t With Gross Bar
TRANSFORMERS
Leading directly to the study of traqsformers. the setup in
Figure 14 allows students to see how iqductior can proceed
by passing magnetic field between the two coils. Using air Figure 16
Pfñry *.dry , 8r6d4 z
as the ruedium betweco the two coils, PASCO's experiments
4 PIi8GOsc¡e.tiñc
012-038004
Experiment 1: Basics I
lntroduction
When an alternating current passes through a coil of wire, it produces an altemating nragnetic
field. This is precisely the condition needed for the electromagnetic induction to take place in a
second coil of wire. In this lab you witt investigate several of the factors influencing the operation
of a transfonner,
Equipment Needed - Supplied
l. The four coils frorn the PASCO 5I¡-861ó Basic Coils Set
2. The U-shaped Core Íiorn the PASCO SF-8616 tsasic Coils Set
3. Optional the additioual coils from the PASCO SF-8617 Cornplete Coils Set
Equipment Needed - Not Supplied
1. Low voltage ac power supply 0-6 VAC. 0-i arup such as PASCO Modei SF-9582
2. AC voltrneter 0-6 VAC
3. Banarra connecting leads for electrical connections
Procedure
Set up the coils and core as shown in Figure
l. ln the diagmm, the coil to the left will be
referred to as the primary coil, and the oae a ac voll3
to the right r.vill be the secondary coi[. Note
that we are putting in an altemating Gurreüt
Pdmary §acondary
to the priruary at one voltage level, and
reading the output at the secondary. Figure I
2. \Yith the 400-turn coil as the primary and the 400-tum coil as the secondary, adjust thc input
voltage to 6 volts a.c. Meastue the output voltage and recerd your resr¡lts in Table 1.1.
3. Repeat step 2 after inserting the straight cross piece frorn tLe top ofthe U-shaped corc.
Record your results. (See Figure 2.)
ffiffi
ffiffi
Primary Secondary Primary Secondary Primary Secondary
Figure 2
4. Repeat step 2 after placing thc coils on the sides ofthe open U-shaped core, Record your
results.
5. Finally, repeat step 2 after placing the cross piece over the U-shaped core, Record your
results.
6. Using the core configuratiou rvhich gives the best output voltage compared to input voltage,
try all corubinations of primary and secondary coils. Use i, constant input voltage of 6.0 volts
a.c. Record¡,our data in Table 1.2.
HI§G(Osc¡a6ñc 5
01 2-03800A
Analysis
i Which core configuration gives the maximuru transfer of e lectromagnetic effect to the
secondary coil? Develop a theory to explain the diffcrenct,s between corrfigurations.
I"rom your data in table 1.2, for a primary having a constar.t number of tums. graph the
resulting output voltage versus the nuruber of tturrs in the secontfary. What type of mathc-
rnatical relatiouship exists between numbers of turns of wi'c and the resulting output voltage?
ls the data ideal? Why or why not?
3. Consider further improveurents to your transfomrer. Whal adtlitional changes núght yog
ruake to increase the transfer Ílorn one coil to the othcr?
Data and Calculations
Table 1.1
Number of Turrs
Primary Coil Secordary Coil Input V OutputV Core
Table 1.2 '
Core Configuratiorr:
Number of Turns 1
Primary Coil Secordary Coil Input V OutputY Core
6 EA§GOsc¡entiac
