Topic 12 Electromagnetic Induction

Electromagnetic induction
Make a coil using wire. The coil should be
wide enough to easily move a magnet
inside

Electromagnetic induction
Put your coil in this circuit. The multimeter
should be on the A scale.
A

Electromagnetic induction
MOVE a magnet in and out of the coil.
Watch the meter!
A

Electromagnetic induction
If a magnet is
moved inside a
coil an electric
current is
induced
(produced)

Generator/dynamo
A generator
works in this way
by rotating a coil
in a magnetic
field (or rotating a
magnet in a coil)

Motor = generator
If electric energy enters a motor it is
changed into kinetic energy, but if kinetic
energy is inputted (the motor is turned)
electric energy is produced!

The Motor Effect

When a current is placed in a magnetic
field it will experience a force (provided the
current is not parallel to the field). This is
called the motor effect.
Can you
copy this
sentence
into your
books
please.

The Motor Effect

The direction of the force on a current in a
magnetic field is given by Flemmings left
hand rule.
Thumb = Motion

First finger = Field direction

Centre finger = Conventional Current

The Motor Effect

Can you copy

this please?
WITH
DIAGRAM!

The direction of the force on a current in a

magnetic field is given by Flemmings left
hand rule.
Thumb = Motion

First finger = Field direction

Centre finger = Conventional Current

Sample question
In this example, which way will the wire be
pushed? (red is north on the magnets)

Sample question
In this example, which way will the wire be
pushed? (red is north on the magnets)

Current
Field

IB Level!

Electromagnetic Induction
Imagine a wire moving with velocity v in a
Wire
magnetic field B out of the page.
L

moving
with
velocity v

v
Region of
magnetic
field B out of
page

The electrons in the wire feel a force (the

motor effect) which pushes the electrons
to the right. This creates a potential
difference in the wire.
L

Electrons
pushed this
way (left
hand rule)

The field in the wire that produces this

potential difference is given by E = V/L
e.m.f. (voltage) across
the wire in the magnetic
field

The force produced by this field E = V/L

would push the electrons back again, but
this is opposed by the force on the
electrons due to the magnetic filed F =
Bev
L

There exists a balance between the force

on the electrons due to the field in the wire
and the force due to the field
eE = Bev
L

eE = Bev
since E = V/L, V = vBL

V = vBL
This means that a conducting wire of length L moving with
speed v normally to a magnetic field B will have a e.m.f.
of vBL across its ends. This is called a motional e.m.f.
L

Wire
moving
with
velocity v

v
Region of
magnetic
field B out of
page

Faradays Law
My hero!

Faradays Law
Consider a magnet moving through a
rectangular plane coil of wire.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
A current is produced in the wire only
when the magnet is moving.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
The faster the magnet moves, the bigger
the current.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
The stronger the magnet, the bigger the
current.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
The more turns on the coil (same area),
the bigger the current.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
The bigger the area of the coil, the bigger
the current.
N

A
S

Faradays Law
If the movement is not perpendicular, the
current is less.
N

Magnetic Flux ()
Imagine a loop of (plane) wire in a region
where the magnetic filed (B) is constant.
B

The magnetic flux () is defined as = BAcos

where A is the area of the loop and is the angle
between the magnetic field direction and the
direction normal (perpendicular) to the plane of
the coil.

If the loop has N turns, the flux is given by

= NBAcos in which case we call this the flux
linkage.

The unit of flux is the Weber (Wb) (= 1 Tm 2)

It can help to imagine the flux as the number of

lines of magnetic field going through the area of
the coil. We can increase the flux with a larger
area, larger field, and keeping the loop
perpendicular to the field.

Faradays law (at last!)

As we seen, an e.m.f.
is only induced when
the field is changing.
The induced e.m.f. is
found using Faradays
law, which uses the
idea of flux.

I built the first

electric motor and
generator too. I
refused all prizes
and awards
because that would
detract from Gods
glory.

Faradays law
The induced e.m.f. is
equal to the (negative)
rate of change of
magnetic flux,
E = -/t

Example question
The magnetic field through a single loop of
area 0.2 m2 is changing at a rate of 4 t.s -1.
What is the induced e.m.f?
Physics for the IB Diploma K.A.Tsokos (Cambridge University Press)

Example question
The magnetic field (perpendicular) through a single loop of area 0.2
m2 is changing at a rate of 4 t.s-1. What is the induced e.m.f?

= BAcos = BA
E = = BA = 4 x 0.2 = 0.8 V
t
t

Another example question!

There is a uniform magnetic filed B = 0.40 T out of the
page. A rod of length L = 0.20 m is placed on a railing
and pushed to the right at a constant speed of v = 0.60
m.s-1. What is the e.m.f. induced in the loop?

The area of the loop is decreasing, so the

flux (BAcos) must be changing. In time t
the rod will move a distance vt, so the
area will decrease by an area of Lvt

Lvt

E = = BA = BLvt = BLv
t
t
t
E = 0.40 x 0.20 x 0.60 = 48 mV

Lvt

An important
result, you may be
asked to do this!

Lenzs Law
The induced current will be in such a
direction as to oppose the change in
magnetic flux that created the current
(If you think about it, this has to be so.)

Alternating current
A coil rotating in a magnetic field will
produce an e.m.f.

Alternating current
The e.m.f. produced is sinusoidal (for
constant rotation)
e.m.f.
V

Slip ring commutator

To use this e.m.f. to produce a current the
coil must be connected to an external
circuit using a split-ring commutator.

Slip-rings

lamp

Increasing the generator

frequency?

e.m.f.
V

Root mean square voltage and current

It is useful to define an average current
and voltage when talking about an a.c.
supply. Unfortunately the average voltage
and current is zero!
To help us we use the idea of root mean
square voltage and current.

Root mean square voltage

e.m.f.
V

Root mean square voltage

e.m.f.
V

First we square the voltage to get a

quantity that is positive during a whole
cycle.

Root mean square voltage

Then we find the average of this positive
quantity
e.m.f.
V

Root mean square voltage

We then find the square root of this
quantity.
e.m.f.
V

Root mean square voltage

We then find the square root of this
quantity.
e.m.f.
V

This value is called the

root mean square
voltage

Root mean square voltage

We then find the square root of this
quantity.
e.m.f.
V

Emax

Erms = Emax/2

Transformers
What can you
remember about
transformers from last
year?

Transformers

Vp

Np
turns

Vs
Ns
turns

Primary coil
Iron core
Laminated

Secondary coil

Transformers
How do they work?

Vp

Np
turns

Vs
Ns
turns

Primary coil
Iron core

Secondary coil

An alternating current in the primary coil

produces a changing magnetic field in the
iron core.

Vp

Np
turns

Vs
Ns
turns

Primary coil
Iron core

Secondary coil

The changing magnetic field in the iron

core induces a current in the secondary
coil.

Vp

Np
turns

Vs
Ns
turns

Primary coil
Iron core

Secondary coil

It can be shown using Faradays law that:

Vp/Vs = Np/Ns and VpIp = VsIs

Vp

Np
turns

Vs
Ns
turns

Primary coil
Iron core

Secondary coil

Power transmission
When current passes through a wire, the
power dissipated (lost as heat) is equal to
P = VI across the wire
Since V = IR

Power dissipated = I2R

Power transmission
Power dissipated = I2R
Since the loss of power depends on the square
of the current, when transmitting energy over
large distances it is important to keep the current
as low as possible.
However, to transmit large quantities of energy
we therefore must have a very high voltage.

Power transmission
Electricity is thus transmitted at very high voltages using
step up transformers and then step down transformers.
220 V

Step-down
250,000 V
15,000 V
Step-up
15,000 V

Step-down

Dangerous?

Dangerous?
Low-frequency electromagnetic fields can
induce currents in the human body!

Dangerous?
Current evidence suggests that lowfrequency fields do not harm genetic
material. This is not fully proven or
understood.

Whew! Thats it!