Ham Amateur Radio Technician Practice Exam

The statement that a step-down transformer decreases voltage while increasing current is accurate due to the principles governing how transformers operate. A transformer works on the principle of electromagnetic induction and consists of two coils, known as windings: the primary coil and the secondary coil.

In a step-down transformer, the number of turns of wire in the primary winding is greater than in the secondary winding. This configuration allows the transformer to reduce the voltage from the primary side to the secondary side. According to the transformer equation, which states that the voltage is proportional to the number of turns, a higher number of turns on the primary results in a higher voltage, while fewer turns on the secondary allow for a lower voltage output.

When the voltage is decreased, the current on the secondary side must increase to maintain the same power level, as long as the system is operating within normal efficiency parameters. This behavior aligns with the law of conservation of energy, which dictates that the input power must equal the output power, minus any losses. Therefore, if the voltage is decreased, the current increases accordingly, allowing the total power (voltage times current) to remain consistent.

The other choices present various misunderstandings about transformer functionality. For instance, a step-up transformer increases the voltage while decreasing