Science

Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

LESSON 9.1
Electric Generator
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objectives 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 7
How Do Generators Induce Electric Current? 7
Inducing Current by Moving a Magnet Through a Coil of Wire 7
Inducing Current through Rotating a Coil of Wire in a Stationary Magnet 9
Types of Generators 10
AC Generator 11
DC Generator 14
History and Development of Generators 16
Michael Faraday 16
Hippolyte Pixii 17
Sir Charles Wheatstone, Werner Von Siemens and Samuel Alfred Varley 17
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti 18

Key Points 19

Check Your Understanding 20

Photo Credit 23

Bibliography 23
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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

Lesson 9.1
Electric Generator

Bangui Windfarm in Ilocos Norte

Introduction
On a day-to-day basis, electric appliances like fans and washing machines are used in order
to lighten the tasks you do. All that’s left to do is to plug the appliance and press the on
button. Thanks to its motors, its functionality is helping the people in their daily lives, may it
be in factories, offices, and homes.

The electricity that makes these electric appliances and machines move is supplied by
power plants. Most power plants can support the usage of a barangay to a city! Such an
example is the first windmill farm in Southeast Asia: the Bangui Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte,
Philippines. In 2014, fifty windmills operated on a daily basis across Bangui Bay to generate

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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

233 GW per year of electricity. But where does this electricity come from? How do machines
function to generate and consume electricity? Read on and find out!

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given DepEd learning competency should be met
by the students.
● Explain the operation of a simple electric motor and generator
(S10FE-IIj-54).

Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● DisExplaincuss how a generator works.
● Demonstrate the generation of electricity by movement of a magnet
through a coil.
● Explain the operation of electric current induction in a generator.
● Differentiate a DC generator from an AC generator.

Warm-Up

Do-It-Yourself Generator

Materials
● two neodymium magnets
● 100 m long enameled copper wire
● light-emitting diode
● an empty round plastic bottle of milk

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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

● barbecue stick
● insulating tape
● soldering iron
● cutter
● two-component epoxy glue (preferably Poxipol®)

Procedure
1. Purchase neodymium magnet from an online store.
2. Prepare the milk bottle by washing it and removing the labels if there are still any.
3. Create a generator stator by poking a hole in the middle of the bottle’s height using a
barbecue stick.

4. Trace a straight line from the previously made hole up to the top edge.
5. Using a cutter, cut the line that you made on Step 4. Your generator stator is now
complete.

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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

6. Make a generator rotor by putting a barbecue stick in between two neodymium

magnets. To permanently stick the barbecue stick to the magnets, put epoxy glue to
fill the gaps. Let it dry.

7. Put the rotor into the stator as shown in the figure below.

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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

8. Secure the rotor and stator by placing an insulating tape as shown below. Make sure
that the rotor magnets are exactly located at the middle of the bottle.

9. Wrap the copper wire on the bottle around 200 times. Be careful not to break the
enamel layer. The end of the windings should be near the bottle’s top edge.
10. Create two small holes. The hole should be enough to fit the filaments of the diode.
Fasten the diode to the bottle. Make sure that diode filaments will not touch each
other.
11. Solder the tips of the diode filament to the copper wire.

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12. Cover the whole bottle with insulating tape. Rotate the barbecue stick and observe
what happens.

Observation Table
Table 9.1.1. Observations on the DIY generator

Observations Explanation

Guide Questions
1. During the operation of the generator, does the LED give continuous light? Why or
why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the role of the magnet in this activity?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

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3. What is the evidence that the mechanical energy is transformed into electrical
energy?
__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Learn about It

How Do Generators Induce Electric Current?

Voltage, which causes current, can be induced in a coil of wire in two ways: (1) by moving a
magnet into and out of a stationary coil of wire, or (2) by moving the coil of wire near a
stationary magnet. These two methods ultimately aim to produce a fluctuating magnetic
field in the loop.

Essential Question
How do generators operate and generate electricity?

Inducing Current by Moving a Magnet Through a Coil of Wire

As the magnet is introduced, the magnetic field strength inside the coil increases, and the
induced current in the coil moves in one direction. As the magnet is pulled out, the magnetic
field strength falls, and the current is induced in the opposite direction.

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Fig. 1. A magnet induces current through a coil of wire.

As the magnet is continuously pushed in and pulled out, the strength of the voltage
continues to change. During this process, voltage alternately drops and rises, creating an
alternating voltage. The more frequent the magnet is moved in and out of the coil, the
stronger the alternating voltage produced.

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Fig. 2. The faster motion of magnet in and out of the coil yields a stronger alternating
voltage.

Inducing Current through Rotating a Coil of Wire in a Stationary Magnet

The second method of inducing current in a coil of wire is placing a stationary magnet near
a rotating loop. It is easier to move the coil instead of moving the magnet. This is done by
rotating a coil in a stationary magnetic field. This basic concept is the working principle
behind electric generators.

Fig. 3. A rotating coil around a stationary magnetic field

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As the loop rotates, it interacts with varying magnetic field lines, similar to what it would
experience if a magnet is introduced and pulled out of it.

Fig. 4. Varying magnetic field lines experienced by a rotating coil in a stationary magnetic
field

Types of Generators
There are two types of generators: the alternating current (AC) generator and the direct
current (DC) generator. Both generators depend on the principle of electromagnetic
induction.

Fleming’s left-hand rule Fleming’s right-hand rule

Fig. 5. Fleming’s left-hand rule is used for electric motors while Fleming’s right-hand rule is
used for electric generators.

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Fleming’s left-hand rule is used to identify the direction of movement of the current-carrying
wire when placed in a magnetic field. This is used in electric motors, which were discussed in
Lesson 2 of this unit. For generators, Fleming’s right-hand rule is used to identify the
direction of the current. To make the left-hand rules, just point your thumb in the direction
of the movement. The index finger shows the direction of the magnetic field. The middle
finger will then show you the direction of the current.

Remember
Fleming’s left-hand rule is used for electric motors, while Fleming’s
right-hand rule is used for generators. Do not confuse Fleming’s right-hand
rule with Maxwell’s right-hand grip rule.

AC Generator
The parts of an AC generator are almost similar to the electric motor. The only difference is
in electric motors, the electrical energy from the battery is converted to mechanical energy
(rotating of the coil); while for generators, the mechanical energy exerted to rotate the coil
generates electrical energy that can power a load such as a light bulb (not shown in the
figure).

The rectangular coil ABCD shown in Fig. 6 needs to be rotated in a magnetic field. It is
connected to two slip rings r1 and r2. These two rings are connected to an axle. The two slip
rings are also connected to two separate conducting brushes b1 and b2. The galvanometer is
attached to detect the presence of induced current. Notice that the arm AB is connected to
r1, which is then connected to b1; while the arm CD is connected to r2, which is then
connected to b2.

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Fig. 6. Parts of a simple AC generator

When the rectangular coil rotates such that arm AB will be moved upwards and CD
downwards, the whole rectangular coil will move clockwise. By applying Fleming’s
right-hand rule, you can identify the direction of the induced current.

Fig. 7. An AC generator after its half rotation. Take note of the location of the rectangular
coil, which causes the reversing of the current.

Since the movement of arm AB is upward, position your right hand such that the thumb
points upward. Then, position your index finger and middle finger perpendicular to each
other. As you can see, the index finger points from north to south. This means that the
magnetic field is in that direction. The middle finger, on the hand, shows the direction of the
induced current, which is downwards.

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The opposite is true for arm CD. Since the movement of the arm CD is downward, position
your right hand such that the thumb points downward. The index finger shows that the
magnetic field is still in the same direction (north to south). The middle finger, in this case, is
pointing up, which means that the induced current on this side is upwards.

Therefore, the flow of current exits at b1 then goes to b2 → arm CD → arm AB. As shown in
Fig. 7, the rectangular coil is in the reverse direction after a half rotation. By applying
Fleming’s rule, the current from the arm CD will move downwards. Since the arm CD is
connected to b2, the current will now exit at b2 then goes to b1 → arm AB → arm CD.

Fig. 8. The magnetic field strength experienced by a loop in a generator changes as it

rotates.

As a whole, this kind of generator is called an AC generator because the current changes
direction (alternating current).

When the coil of wire is exactly positioned perpendicular to the magnetic field lines similar
to Fig.7a, the number of field lines enclosed by the loop is at its maximum. As the coil of wire

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rotates as shown in Fig. 7b, the loop encloses a fewer number of field lines. When the plane
of the coil of wire is exactly parallel to the magnetic field lines as shown in Fig. 7c, it does not
enclose any field lines. It is during this period that the induced current reaches its greatest
value since the rate of change of field lines is at its greatest. This rotation of the coil of wire
in a stationary magnet changes the number of field lines passing through the coil and
usually results in the production of alternating current within the loop.

The value of the voltage depends on the magnetic field strength and the speed of rotation
of the coil of wire. In an AC generator, the ends of the coil of wire are designed in such a way
that one side of the loop always touches just one side of the terminals connected to a
circuit. This is achieved by connecting the ends of the loop to a metallic ring (slip ring), which
also rotates along with the loop. It is then connected to an external circuit through the use
of fixed brushes. The standard AC in the Philippines changes in magnitude and direction at a
rate of 60 complete cycles per second—60 hertz.

DC Generator
A direct current (DC) generator is simply a transformed AC generator since both are
composed of the same basic elements. The only difference is that DC generators maintain a
single direction of electric current instead of alternating.

Fig. 9. Parts of a simple DC generator

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To control the flow of an electric current in a single direction, a DC generator uses a metal
ring divided into two halves, also called a split ring or commutator, which also rotates with
the coil of wire. This split ring is connected to the external circuit by two carbon brushes. In
this setup, even if the current direction is reversed on one side of the wire, the split ring
ensures that the connection in the coil also reverses, resulting in a constant polarity and
unidirectional current. Both generators internally produce an alternating current, but DC
generators use commutators to provide a DC output. Nowadays, different materials that
eliminate the use of commutators and also allow better voltage regulation are available.

The arrangement of the parts of the DC generator is the same as the arrangement in a DC
motor. However, instead of passing current from a battery to the coil, the DC generator
produces electricity by rotating the coil. As shown in Fig. 9, the rectangular coil ABCD is
placed between the two poles of a permanent magnet. The rectangular coil is attached to
the split rings P and Q, which touches the conducting brushes X and Y. Arm AB is attached to
the split ring P while the arm CD is attached to split ring Q.

Fig. 10. A DC generator after its half rotation. Take note of the location of the rectangular
coil, which causes the reversing of the current.

As shown in Fig. 10, the arrangement of the rectangular coil is reversed after half rotation.
Also, the split ring Q now touches the brush X while the split ring P touches the brush Y.
Notice that at all times, only one brush touches the arm moving up, and the other brush
only touches the arm moving down. Therefore, a unidirectional current is produced. This is
the reason why it is called a DC generator.

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Remember
Motors transform the electrical energy into mechanical energy, while
generators transform the mechanical energy into electrical energy.

History and Development of Generators

Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday was the first person to create a generator in 1831 using electromagnetic
induction by using an induction ring. His experiments about how electric current works led
to the understanding of electrical transformers and motors. The generator he built is called
the Faraday disk. It is a direct current (DC) electrical generator. The voltage produced by
this kind of generator is very low. It works by rotating a conducting ring surrounded by a
magnetic field.

Michael Faraday Faraday’s disk generator

(1791–1867)
Fig. 10. Michael Faraday and his disk generator

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Did You Know?

Michael Faraday is self-educated. He never had a formal science education.
His basic education stopped when he was 13. When he turned 14, he
worked as an apprentice to a local bookbinder and bookseller. This job
gave him a chance to read more books. One of his favorite books is
“Conversations in Chemistry.”

Hippolyte Pixii
The first practical electric generators were called dynamos. One of the first dynamos was
built by Hippolyte Pixii in 1832. Dynamos were the first electrical generators capable of
delivering power for the industry. The earliest electrical generator used in an industrial
process is the Woolrich Electrical Generator used in 1844. It is now located in the Thinktank
Birmingham Science Museum.

Hippolyte Pixii Pixii’s dynamo

(1808–1835)

Fig. 11. Hippolyte Pixii and his invention of the dynamo.

Sir Charles Wheatstone, Werner Von Siemens and Samuel Alfred Varley
Modern dynamos were developed independently by Sir Charles Wheatstone, Werner Von
Siemens, and Samuel Alfred Varley. These dynamos use self-powering electromagnetic coils

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to create electromagnetic fields. Usage of field coils increased the power output of a
dynamo and enabled high power generation.

Sir Charles Wheatstone Werner Von Siemens Samuel Alfred Varley

(1802–1875) (1816–1892) (1832–1921)

Fig. 12. Scientists who developed the modern dynamo.

Did You Know?

Sir Charles Wheatsone never also had a formal science education. His
knowledge of musical instruments led him to study acoustics which also
led him to become a professor in Physics, concentrating his research on
electricity and optics.

Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti

“Alternators” or alternating current generators were later developed in the 1880s. Sebastian
Ziani de Ferranti invented the Ferranti-Thompson Alternator with the help of Lord Kelvin in
1882. He was later able to design a power station in 1891 that would supply high-voltage AC
power and was stepped down for consumer use. This same system is still used today all
around the world.

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Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti Ferranti’s alternating current generator

(1864–1930)

Fig. 13. Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti and his alternating current generator.

Key Points

● Voltage, which causes current, can be induced in a coil of wire in two ways: (1) by
moving a magnet into and out of a stationary coil of wire or; (2) by moving the coil of
wire near a stationary magnet.
● There are two types of generators: the alternating current (AC) generator and the
direct current (DC) generator. Both generators depend on the principle of
electromagnetic induction.
● Fleming’s right-hand rule is used to identify the direction of the current. To do
this, just point your thumb in the direction of the movement. The index finger shows
the direction of the magnetic field. The middle finger will then show you the direction
of the current.
● Michael Faraday, Hippolyte Pixii, Sir Charles Wheatstone, Werner Von Siemens,
Samuel Alfred Varley, and Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti are the scientists that
contributed to the development of generators.

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Grade 10 • Unit 9: Electromagnetic Induction

Check Your Understanding

A. Refer to the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

1. What will be the evidence that the mechanical energy is transformed into
electrical energy?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What will happen if two poles of a permanent magnet are not present?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. If the rectangular coil ABCD moves clockwise, to what direction would the arm AB
move?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. You already knew that the direction of movement is clockwise. How would you
now know the direction of the current in AB?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

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5. What is the direction of the magnetic field?

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
6. Will the conducting brush b1 always touch the arm moving up? Why? What is the
implication of this?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Is the electric motor in the figure an AC generator or DC generator? Why?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

B. Refer to the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

1. Is the figure shown an AC generator or DC generator? Why?

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the difference between the ring of this type of generator to the other
type? What is the implication of this?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

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3. The arrangement of the parts of this type of generator is almost similar to the
electric motor. How are they different?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

C. Read and analyze the following statements given. Write true if the statement is
correct and false if incorrect.

_______________ 1. As the magnet is introduced, the magnetic field strength inside

the coil decreases and the induced current in the coil moves in
one direction.

_______________ 2. As the magnet is continuously pushed in and pulled out, the

strength of the voltage continues to change.

_______________ 3. As the loop rotates, it interacts with varying magnetic field

lines, similar to what it would experience if a magnet is
introduced and pulled out of it.

_______________ 4. Michael Faraday was the first person to create a generator in

1831 using electromagnetic induction by using an induction
ring.

_______________ 5. The first practical electric generators were called dynamos.

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Photo Credit
Introduction Photo. Bangui Windfarm Ilocos Norte 2007 by John Ryan Cordova is licensed
under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography

“Faraday’s Electromagnetic Lab”. PhET Interactive Simulations. Accessed April 1, 2022.

https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/faraday.

Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics: Principles with Applications 7th Edition. 2013. New Jersey:
Pearson

Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics. 2014. USA: Pearson Education Inc.

Hugh D. Young, et al. Sears and Zemansky’s University Physics with Modern Physics 13th
Edition. 2012. California: Pearson Education Inc.

“Jacobi’s Motor.” Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Accessed April 1, 2022.

https://www.eti.kit.edu/english/1382.php.

Serway, Raymond A. and Jerry S. Faugh. “The History of Electricity – A Timeline.” 2012.
Physics. USA: Holt The Historical Archive. Accessed April 1, 2022.
http://www.thehistoricalarchive.com/happenings/57/the-history-of-electricity-a-timeli
ne/.

“Three Phase Induction Motor Definition & Working Principle.” Electrical4u.com. Accessed
April 1, 2022. https://bit.ly/2nx2lEI.

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