A transformer is an electrical device that transforms electricity from high to low voltage and vice versa. It is an important component for power transmission. Let’s get to know why.
We saw the process through which electric power reaches our homes. When electricity travels from a power plant, it comes in a very high voltage. This is because the voltage from the plant is ‘stepped up’ by transformers before they are transmitted.
The voltage has to be increased because electric power has to travel very long distances, and that too, with minimal loss of energy. We should know that energy is lost in the process of power transmission. But if the voltage is high, energy loss would be low.
But do our homes need this kind of voltage? Absolutely not! Before the power reaches houses, the voltage has to be lowered, or stepped down. This is where transformers again become important. They step down voltage from high to low.