Early Attempts at Generating an Electric Current
- Michael Faraday tried to generate an electric current from a magnetic field, on the heels of Oersted’s discovery that an electric current produced a magnetic field.
- Joseph Henry was simultaneously experimenting and generating similar results.
Faraday’s Experimental Design
- A primary coil was wrapped around an iron ring; a battery supplied the current and a switch was in the circuit.
- A secondary coil was wrapped on the other side of the iron ring and was attached to a galvanometer.
Faraday’s Data
- When the switch is closed (primary coil), a momentary deflection is seen on the galvanometer attached to the secondary coil.
- When the switch is opened, a momentary deflection is seen in the galvanometer in the opposite direction.
- When there is a steady current in the primary circuit, the galvanometer reads zero.
Faraday’s Conclusion
- An electric current can be produced by a changing magnetic field; therefore, an induced emf (voltage) is produced in the secondary circuit by the changing magnetic field.
Magnetic Flux
- The emf produced by the changing magnetic field is actually induced by a change in the magnetic flux Magnetic flux – the product of the cross sectional area of the wire loop and the strength of the magnetic field perpendicular to the wire loop – designated by the Greek letter Φ.
Magnetic Flux Equation
Φ = BA cos θ
- Unit of flux is the Weber (Wb)
- B (magnetic field) is in Teslas (Wb/
)
- A (area of wire) is in
- If B is
to the wire loop, Θ =
, Φ is maximum
- If B is || to the wire loop, Θ = 90°, Φ is zero
Magnetic Flux Hints
- θ is the angle between the magnetic field and the normal (
) to the loop.
- The value of Φ is proportional to the number of magnetic field lines passing through the loop.
- The more lines that pass through (cut through) the loop when it is
to the magnetic field, the greater the flux!
Faraday’s Law of Magnetic Induction (Conceptual)
- A current is set up in a circuit as long as there is relative motion between the magnet and the loop.
- The instantaneous emf induced in a circuit = the rate of change of magnetic flux through the circuit.
Faraday’s Law of Magnetic Induction (Equation)
ε= -N (ΔΦ/Δt)
ε is the induced emf in Volts
- N is the # of loops in the circuit
- ΔΦ is the change in mag flux (
–
), in Wb
- Δt is the change in time, in sec
- (-) is the polarity of the induced emf
Try This to Simulate Flux
- If you place a loop of masking tape and a pencil at right angles (
) to each other, this simulates an angle of 0° with the normal and therefore max flux.
- If you turn the pencil so that it is || to the tape, it cannot cut through the loop, the angle between the normal to the loop and the pencil is 90° = min flux.
Lenz’s Law
- States that the polarity (sign) of the induced emf is such that it produces a current whose magnetic field opposes the change in magnetic flux through the loop.
- “GFI” – ground fault indicator – is a good example of an application of Lenz’s Law
Generators
- The principle of electromagnetic induction is the basis for a generator. Generators converts mechanical to electrical energy.
- Rotating a loop of wire on an axle in a magnetic field generates a current in the loop.
(source)