Topic

Electromagnetic Induction
 CONTENT:

 Objective
 Theory
 Materials required
 Procedure
 Observations
 Result
 The experiments of Faraday and Henry
 Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction
 Eddy current
 Application of Eddy current
 Application of electromagnetic induction
OBJECTIVE
To Study The Phenomenon Of Electromagnetic Induction.

THEORY
Electricity and magnetism were considered separate and unrelated
phenomena for a long time. In the early decades of the nineteenth
century, experiments on electric current by Oersted, Ampere and a few
others established the fact that electricity and magnetism are inter-
related. They found that moving electric charges produce magnetic
fields. The experiments of Michael Faraday in England and Joseph
Henry in USA, conducted around 1830, demonstrated conclusively that
electric currents were induced in closed coils when subjected to
changing magnetic fields. In this chapter, we will study the phenomena
associated with changing magnetic fields and understand the
underlying principles. The phenomenon in which electric current is
generated by varying magnetic fields is appropriately called
electromagnetic induction.
The phenomenon of electromagnetic induction is the existence of an
induced current in a circuit (such as a coil) placed in a region where the
magnetic field motion changes with the time. The magnetic field may
change due to relative motion between coil and magnet placed near
the coil as shown in the Fig. 1. We know that a current-carrying
conductor also produces magnetic field that changes with a change in
the current flowing through it. Thus if a coil is placed near to a current-
carring conductor, an induced current in the coil may setup due to a
change in the current through the current-carrying conductor.
Fig. 1: Moving a magnet towards a coil sets up a current in the coil
circuit, as indicated by deflection in the galvanometer needle.

Materials Required:
Magnetic bar, a galvanometer, coil and connecting wires.

Procedure:
1. Take a coil of wire having a large number of turns.
2. Connect the end of the coil to a galvanometer.
3. Take a strong bar magnet and move its north pole into the coil and
observe the changes in the galvanometer needle.
4. Repeat earlier step with the south pole of the bar magnet.
5. Now repeat the procedure with the coil having a different number of
turns and the variation in the deflection of the galvanometer needle.
Observations:
1. When we move the magnet in or out of the coil, the needle of
galvanometer gets deflected in different directions.
2. When we insert the north pole (N) of bar magnet into the coil, the
needle gets deflected in negative direction.
3. When we insert the south pole (S) of bar magnet into the coil, the
needle gets deflected in positive direction.
4. When we move the bar magnet in or out of the coil with varying
speed, the speed of deflection changes accordingly.
5. As we increase the number of turns in the coil, the deflection
increases.

Result:
1. The deflection of galvanometer needle indicates the presence of
current in the coil.
2. The direction of deflection gives the direction of flow of current.
3. The speed of deflection gives the rate at which the current is
induced.
4. The deflection in galvanometer changes with the change in number
of turns in the coil - more the number of turns in the coil greater is the
deflection.
The Experiments of Faraday and Henry
Experiment 1:

In this experiment, Faraday connected a coil to a galvanometer. A

bar magnet was pushed towards the coil, such that the north-pole
is pointing towards the coil. As the bar magnet is shifted, the
pointer in the galvanometer gets deflected, thus indicating the
presence of current in the coil under consideration. It is observed
that when the bar magnet is stationary, the pointer shows no
deflection and the motion lasts only till the magnet is in motion.
Here, the direction of deflection of the pointer depends upon the
direction of motion of the bar magnet. Also, when the south-pole
of the bar magnet is moved towards or away from the coil, the
deflections in the galvanometer are opposite to that observed with
the north-pole for similar movements. Apart from this, the
deflection of the pointer is larger or smaller depending upon the
speed with which it is pulled towards or away from the coil. The
same effect is observed when instead of the bar magnet, the coil
is moved and the magnet is held stationary. This shows that only
the relative motion between the magnet and the coil is
responsible for the generation of current in the coil.
Experiment 2:

In the second experiment, Faraday replaced the bar magnet by a

second current carrying coil that was connected to a battery.
Here, the current in the coil due to the connected battery
produced a steady magnetic field, which made the system
analogous to the previous one. As we move the second coil
towards the primary coil, the pointer in the galvanometer
undergoes deflection, which indicates the presence of the electric
current in the first coil. Similar to the above case, here too, the
direction of deflection of the pointer depends upon the direction of
motion of the secondary coil towards or away from the primary
coil. Also, the magnitude of deflection depends upon the speed
with which the coil is moved. All these results show that the
system in the second case is analogous to the system in the first
experiment.
Experiment 3:

From the above two experiments, it was concluded by Faraday

that the relative motion between the magnet and the coil resulted
in the generation of current in the primary coil. But another
experiment conducted by Faraday proved that the relative
motion between the coils was not really necessary for the current
in the primary to be generated. In this experiment, he placed two
stationary coils and connected one of them to the galvanometer
and the other to a battery, through a push button. As the button
was pressed, the galvanometer in the other coil showed a
deflection, indicating the presence of current in that coil. Also, the
deflection in the pointer was temporary and if pressed
continuously, the pointer showed no deflection and when the key
was released, the deflection occurred in the opposite direction.
Faraday’s law of Electromagnetic Induction

First law: Whenever a conductor is placed in a varying magnetic

field, EMF induces and this emf is called an induced emf and if the
conductor is a closed circuit than the induced current flows through it.

Second law: The magnitude of the induced EMF is equal to the rate
of change of flux linkages.
Based on his experiments we now have Faraday’s law of electromagnetic
induction according to which the amount of voltage induced in a coil is
proportional to the number of turns and the changing magnetic field of
the coil.

So now, the induced voltage is as follows:

e = N × dΦdt
Where,
e is the induced voltage
N is the number of turns in the coil
Φ is the magnetic flux
t is the time

Lenz’s law of Electromagnetic Induction

Lenz law of electromagnetic induction states that, when an emf induces

according to Faraday’s law, the polarity (direction) of that induced emf is
such that it opposes the cause of its production.

According to Lenz’s law

E = -N (dΦ/ dt) (volts)

Eddy Currents:
Eddy currents are the currents induced in a conductor, when placed in a
changing magnetic field. They are also known as Foucault Currents.
Following experiment explain the origin of eddy currents. Introduce a
soft iron core inside a solenoid and connect it to the source of alternating
current. Place a metallic disk over soft iron core.

Explanation: When the circuit is switched on the current starts growing

and hence magnetic flux linked with disk also increases. Thus disk is
converted to small magnet. If soft iron’s upper face acquires north
polarity. Then metallic disk’s lower surface acquires north polarity and
due to repulsive force metallic disk placed over soft iron core is thrown
up into the air.
Application of Eddy Currents :
1. Dead Beat Galvanometers:

The oscillation of a moving coil galvanometer generally takes a long

time to die out. But by winding its coil on a metallic frame made of
copper or aluminum the galvanometer can be made dead beat. It is
because, due to production of eddy currents in a metallic frame. The coil
of galvanometer comes to rest very soon.

2. Speedometer:

In speedometer, a small magnet is geared to the main shaft of the

vehicle. The magnet is mounted in an aluminum cylinder with the help
of hair springs. Due to rotation of magnet eddy currents are produced
which led the drum to oppose the motion of relating magnet drum
experience torque and gets deflected at certain angle.

3. Electric Brakes:
A metallic drum is coupled to the wheels of train; so that when train
rotates drum also rotates. In order to stop the train magnetic field is
applied to rotating drum. The eddy currents produced oppose the motion
of drum. Since drum is connected to wheels of train, it comes to halt.
4. In the brakes of some trains. During braking, the brakes expose the
metal wheels to a magnetic field which generates eddy currents in the
wheels. The magnetic interaction between the applied field and the
eddy currents slows the wheels down. The faster the wheels spin, the
stronger is the effect, meaning that as the train slows the braking force
is reduces, producing a smooth stopping motion.
5. Induction furnace can be used to prepare alloys, by melting the
metals. The eddy currents generated in the metals produce high
temperature enough to melt it.
The oscillation of a moving coil galvanometer generally takes a long
time to die out. But by winding its coil on a metallic frame made of
copper or aluminum the galvanometer can be made dead beat. It is
because, due to production of eddy currents in a metallic frame. The coil
of galvanometer comes to rest very soon.

6. Speedometer:
In speedometer, a small magnet is geared to the main shaft of the
vehicle. The magnet is mounted in an aluminum cylinder with the help
of hair springs. Due to rotation of magnet eddy currents are produced
which led the drum to oppose the motion of relating magnet drum
experience torque and gets deflected at certain angle.

7. Electric Brakes:
A metallic drum is coupled to the wheels of train ; so that when train
rotates drum also rotates. In order to stop the train magnetic field is
applied to rotating drum. The eddy currents produced oppose the motion
of drum. Since drum is connected to wheels of train, it comes to halt.

8. In the brakes of some trains. During braking, the brakes expose the
metal wheels to a magnetic field which generates eddy currents in the
wheels. The magnetic interaction between the applied field and the
eddy currents slows the wheels down. The faster the wheels spin, the
stronger is the effect, meaning that as the train slows the braking force
is reduces, producing a smooth stopping motion.

9. Induction furnace can be used to prepare alloys, by melting the

metals. The eddy currents generated in the metals produce high
temperature enough to melt it.
Applications of Electromagnetic Induction

1. Electromagnetic induction in AC generator

2. Electrical Transformers
3. Magnetic Flow Meter

Electromagnetic induction in AC generator

One of the important applications of electromagnetic induction is
the generation of alternating current.

The AC generator with an output capacity of 100 MV is a more evolved

machine. As the coil rotates in a magnetic field B, the effective area of
the loop is A cosθ, where θ is the angle between A and B. This is a
method of producing a flux change is the principle of operation of a
simple ac generator. The axis of rotation coil is perpendicular to the
direction of the magnetic field. The rotation of the coil causes the
magnetic flux through it to change, so an emf keeps inducing in the coil.
Electromagnetic flow meter
A electromagnetic flow meter is a transducer that measures fluid flow
by the voltage induced across the liquid by its flow through a magnetic
field. A magnetic field is applied to the metering tube, which results in a
potential difference proportional to the flow velocity perpendicular to
the flux lines. The physical principle at work is electromagnetic
induction. The magnetic flow meter requires a conducting fluid, for
example, water that contains ions, and an electrical insulating pipe
surface, for example, a rubber-lined steel tube.
If the magnetic field direction were constant, electrochemical and other
effects at the electrodes would make the potential difference difficult to
distinguish from the fluid flow induced potential difference. To mitigate
this in modern magnetic flow meters, the magnetic field is constantly
reversed, cancelling out the electrochemical potential difference, which
does not change direction with the magnetic field. This however
prevents the use of permanent magnets for magnetic flow meter.
Electrical Transformers
Another important application of electromagnetic induction is an
electrical transformer. A transformer is a device that changes ac electric
power at one voltage level to another level through the action of a
magnetic field. A step-down transformer is the one in which the voltage
is higher in the primary than the secondary voltage. Whereas the one in
which the secondary voltage has more turns is a step-up transformed.
Power companies use a step transformer to boost the voltage to 100 kV,
that reduces the current and minimizes the loss of power in transmission
lines. On the other end, household circuits use step-down transformers to
decrease the voltage to the 120 or 240 V in them.
References
1. http://www.electronicstutorials.ws/electromagnetism/electromagn
etic-induction.html
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC6E9J925pY
3. http://www.ncert.nic.in/ncer

4. www.yahoo.com

5.www.google.com

6. www.live.com

7. www.rediffmail.com

8. NCRT book of class 12