The National Grid Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

List the parts of the national grid in the order electricity passes through them.

Power station → step-up transformer → transmission lines → step-down transformer → consumer.

Why is electrical energy transferred at high voltage in the national grid's transmission lines?

Heat loss is reduced, so transmission is more efficient.

True or false? A step-up transformer in the national grid increases both the potential difference and the current.

False. It increases the potential difference and decreases the current.

Why is a step-down transformer used in each locality before electricity reaches homes?

It reduces the potential difference to a lower, safer voltage for domestic use.

In the national grid, why does a lower current in the transmission lines mean less energy is wasted?

A current heats the cables, so a smaller current heats them less and less energy is lost to the surroundings.