Final answer:
The basis for transformer operation in the use of alternating current is mutual inductance. A transformer works on the principle of Faraday's law of induction, which states that a changing magnetic field induces a voltage in a conductor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The basis for transformer operation in the use of alternating current is mutual inductance.
A transformer works on the principle of Faraday's law of induction, which states that a changing magnetic field induces a voltage in a conductor. In a transformer, the primary coil creates a changing magnetic field when an alternating current (AC) is applied to it. This changing magnetic field induces a voltage in the secondary coil, resulting in a transformed output voltage.
For inductors in AC circuits, we find that when a sinusoidal voltage is applied to an inductor, the voltage leads the current by one-fourth of a cycle, or by a 90° phase angle.