What is the deferance between the adapter and the transformer?

Question

What is the deferance between the adapter and the transformer?

Answer 1

*An adapter or adaptor is a device used to match the physical or electrical characteristics of two different things so that a connection may be made between them.

An adapter may be very simple, connecting one kind of plug to another kind of socket, but not changing what passes through. One example would be a garden hose, which normally has threads that s***w on, but can be attached to an adapter which allows it to snap easily on and off of faucets, other hoses, or attachments. Likewise, a serial port may require an adapter to connect between the old DB-25 type and the later DE-9 type, which have 25 and 9 pins (respectively) but only 9 wires each.

-Other adapters may include a device that changes what is passing through, such as a transformer that adapts household electrical current from high voltage (100 to 240 volts AC) to low voltage suitable for consumer electronics.

*A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled electrical conductors. A changing current in the first circuit (the primary) creates a changing magnetic field; in turn, this magnetic field induces a changing voltage in the second circuit (the secondary). By adding a load to the secondary circuit, one can make current flow in the transformer, thus transferring energy from one circuit to the other.

Answer 2

A transformer is a component that changes AC current from one voltage to another. A transformer consists of two coils, one connected to the input, and one connected to the output. A transformer can convert voltage up or down, depending on the number of windings on the coil.

An adapter MAY include a transformer to change the voltage, but an adapter usually changes the voltage AND converts from AC to DC as well, and may have a regulator that locks the voltage to prevent a surge and other components that prevent what is called "ripple".

hope this helps :) x