Download Tesla Coil

Tesla coil is probably one of the most seen and favored
experiment. How the electrical device generates a visible,
artificial lighting is fascinating. Tesla coil is invented by
Nikola Tesla in 1891.The original purpose to invent Tesla coil
was to extend the understanding of electromagnetism. As
of now, it is practically utilized in various areas such as
electrical lighting, x-ray generation, and radio transmitter.
Tesla coil works based on several electrical principles. One
of them is inductance. Inductance is electrical property
which states that change of current in a circuit loop can
induce another current in a nearby circuit loop. One may
be able to observe two coil loops in the Tesla coil. Those
two coils are called primary and secondary coil
respectively. The primary circuit is connected to the main
circuit board, from which voltage is provided. As current
flows through the primary coil, it creates magnetic field
around the coil, one of the four principles of Maxwell’s
equations. If the current oscillates and so the magnetic
field, current is induced through the secondary coil. The
oscillation of current is controlled in the primary circuit
where combination of inductors and capacitors is properly
adjusted to resonate efficiently. Therefore, current flows
through secondary coil. Here, the shapes and sizes of
primary and secondary coils are designed in a way that
high voltage and low current is produced in the secondary
coil. What it means is that the electricity stays in the metal
ball on top of secondary coil as static electricity. Surplus of
electrons accumulate in the metal ball. Then, as enough
electrons are collected to break the air gap resistance, the
electron is discharged, ionizing the air path and making it
more conductive. We see the electrical discharge as
visible lighting.
Tesla coil can be utilized in several practical purposes.
One of them is the generation of x-ray. X-ray is one of the
electromagnetic wave with relatively high energy. As
electron in the Tesla coil is discharged, it goes through the
high potential difference created by the Tesla coil. By the
meantime, the electron is accelerated and gains much
kinetic energy. As electron finally hits the metal target and
is absorbed, the energy electron was carrying converts to
photon with high energy. The photon is the x-ray. Tesla coil,
besides than this kind of practical purpose, is also made
and seen by many people for entertainment and
education purpose.
Alexx Perloff, Parker West, Joshua Hiatt,& Hojun Ji,