Induced EMF: Faraday and Lenz's Laws

Induced EMF is the phenomenon of generating electricity from movement in a magnetic field.
Task:
Use the apparatus set up for you to make as many observations as you can.

Conclusion: When a conductor moves with respect to a magnetic field (or visa versa) an electric current is induced.
We need to think of magnetic field lines as magnetic flux (flux meaning something that flows). Magnetic flux flows out of
the north pole of a magnet in back into the south pole.
When a conducting wire 'cuts' across the magnetic flux an induced current is produced.It doesn't matter whether it is the wire or
the magnetic field that moves the result is the same.
Obviously then wires moving in opposite directions produce opposite induced currents and similarly for magnetic fieldsmoving
in opposite directions.
Factors affecting the induced current:

Magnetic field strength (the magnetic flux density).

Speed of 'cutting'.

Number of pieces of wire.

These factors inform many modern designs- motors, generators and dynamos all have many turns of wire inside them.

We have created an induced current and therefore a voltage must exist across the wire. This voltage is driving the current and is
therefore an electromotive force (EMF).
Faraday's Law
The induced electromotive force across a conductor is equal to the rate at which magnetic flux is cut by the conductor.
We can deduce the equation for this induced EMF...
Considering a long straight wire cutting a magnetic field perpendicularly to the field lines. The force acing on the wire is given
by...
F=BIl
The work done on or by the wire in moving it through the field is given by...
WD = F x, so...
WD = B I l x
In this situation the work is done in moving the wire through the field and is converted in to electrical energy by doing so.
Electrical energy is given by emf x charge...
WD = emf x q
and charge is current flowing over a time period..
q = I t, so...
WD = emf x I t
B I l x = emf x I t
emf = B l x / t
Magnetic Flux
From our equation for emf...
E = Blx/ t,
we define the term, f, magnetic flux. This is the magnetic field cut by a wire of length l, moving a distance x, in a magnetic
field B.

.
Really though we are thinking of a rate of cutting flux, so...

From our definition of magnetic flux cut, f, we can see that it is equal to B.A, where B is the magnetic field strength, or magnetic
flux density, and A is the area that is cut.

If we are comfortable with this then we can start to think about flux cut by a coil of wire, or flux linkage. We can think of a coil
of wire being linked to the magnetic flux it cuts, thus giving rise to the term flux linkage. Moving a coil of wire in a magnetic
field varies the amount of flux that links it, thus gives rise to a varying induced current.
Obviously the flux cut by a coil of N turns of wire will be N times as big as that cut by a single wire. Thus for a coil of wire
Faradays Law becomes...

Lenz's Law
Lenz determined that...
The direction of any induced current (or induced emf) will be such as to produce effects which oppose the change that
produces it.
This is basically another conservation of energy statement,
It means that Faraday's Law becomes...

Which explains why we have to use different hands for Flemmings motor and generator rules.

Left Hand - Motor Rule

Questions:

Right Hand - Generator Rule

Explain these...

Investigation:
Complete the Investigation into Electromagnetic Induction
Questions:
What is the difference between the two diagrams? (Hutchings pp332)

solution
19.1, 19.2 from Hutchings p335 and 19.7 on p341
EMF in an Airliner question set
Kirk and Hodgson pp166-170 Hutchings pp330-335
Back to topic 12

PSOW: Eddy Currents and Lenz's Law

Investigation circus 1
Investigation circus 2
Back to topic 12
AC The Generator
Electricity generators use the principle of electromagnetic induction. A simple generator is simply a coil of wire in a magnetic
field.
From Lenz's law...

The amount of induced emf (and therefore current) will be affected by N- the number of turns in the coil, and f the magnetic flux
cut.

Doing this, however, doesn't produce the simple direct current you are used to.
Try and plot a graph to show how the induced current varies as the coil rotates in the magnetic field.

We get a sinusiodally varying current, or alternating current.

Simple generator applet
Now do the experiment to demonstrate alternating current produced with a dynamo.
We cannot yet use ac in our traditional circuit problems.
Circuit currents and voltages in AC circuits are generally stated as root-mean-square or rms values rather than by quoting the
maximum values. The root-mean-square for a current is defined by..

That is, you take the square of the current and average it, then take the square root.

This is where the name comes from. To calculate it it is easier just to do...

We can calculate the rms currents and voltages and then use them in circuit problems just as we do for dc.
Questions:

Do question 20.4 pp349

Topic 12 questions 13-27. Solutions here!

Kirk and Hodgson pp170-173 Hutchings pp335-340

Back to topic 12
Transformers
So we can produce a varying current and voltage with a generator. Big deal, why would we want to? We can nearly as simply
generate a direct current.
Applet
The key to this is in electricity transmission. If we can keep moving electric currents low in overhead power lines then we can
reduce resistance, heat generation and thus heat losses.
In order for this to happen and for us to be able to transmit large quantities of power over long distances we must be able to
generate large voltages. (Remember P=VI).
We are able to do this using AC transformers...
A transformer is a device for increasing (steping up) and decreasing (stepping down) voltages.

It uses the ideas of electromagnetic induction. If we have a varying electric current, then we create a varying magnetic field. This
can be transmitted through a magnetic material. If this varying magnetic field links with a coil of wire, then an induced current
will be produced in this coil. The size of the induced current depending the number of turns of wire in the coil.

In 1831, Michael Faraday, an English physicist gave one of most basic law of electromagnetism called Faraday's law of
electromagnetic induction. This law explains the working principle of most ofelectrical motors, generators, electrical
transformers and inductors. This law shows the relationship between electric circuit and magnetic field. Faraday performs an
experiment with a magnet and coil. During this experiment he found how emf is induced in the coil when flux linked with it
changes. He has also done experiments in electrochemistry and electrolysis.
Faraday's Experiment
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INDUCED EMF AND FLUX

Faraday's law
In this experiment Faraday takes a magnet and a coil and connects a galvanometer across the coil. At starting the magnet is at
rest so there is no deflection in the galvanometer i.e needle of galvanometer is at centre or zero position. When the magnet is
moved toward the coil, the needle of galvanometer deflects in one direction. When the magnet is held stationary at that position,
the needle of galvanometer returns back to zero position. Now when the magnet is moved away from the coil , there is some
deflection in the needle but in opposite direction and again when the magnet become stationary at that point with respect to coil ,
the needle of galvanometer return back to zero position. Similarly if magnet is held stationary and the coil is moved away and
towards the magnet, the galvanometer shows deflection in similar manner. It is also seen that the faster the changein the
magnetic field, the greater will be the induced emf or voltage in the coil.

Lenz's law is named after the German scientist H. F. E. Lenz in 1834. Lenz's law obeys Newton's third law of motion (i.e to
every action there is always an equal and opposite reaction) and the conservation of energy (i.e energy may neither be created
nor destroyed and therefore the sum of all the energies in the system is a constant)
Lenz law is based on Faraday's law of induction so before understanding Lenz's law one should know what Faradays law of
induction is. When a changing magnetic field is linked with a coil, an emf is induced in it. This change in magnetic field may be
caused by changing the magnetic field strength by moving a magnet toward or away from the coil or moving the coil into or out
of the magnetic field as desired. Or in simple words we can say that the magnitude of the emf induced in the circuit is
proportional to the rate of change of flux

LENZ'S LAW
Lenz law states that when an emf is generated by a change in magnetic flux according to Faraday's Law, the polarity of the
induced emf is such that it produces a current whose magnetic field opposes the change which produces it.
The negative sign is used in Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, indicates that the induced emf ( ) and the change in
magnetic flux ( B ) have opposite signs.

Where

B =
N = No of turns in coil

=
change

Induced
in

magnetic

emf
flux

Reason for opposing, cause of induced current in Lenz's law?

As stated above Lenz law obeys the law of conservation of energy and if the direction of the magnetic field that creates the
current and the magnetic field of the current in a conductor are in same direction, then these two magnetic field would add up
and produce the current of twice the magnitude and this would in turn creates more magnetic field, which cause more current
and this process continues on and on and thus leads to violation of the law of conservation of energy.
Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction
Current induced by a changing magnetic field
While Oersted's surprising discovery of electromagnetism paved the way for more practical applications of electricity, it
was Michael Faraday who gave us the key to the practical generation of electricity: electromagnetic induction.
Faraday discovered that when he moved a magnet near a wire a voltage was generated across it. If the magnet was held
stationary no voltage was generated, the voltage only existed while the magnet was moving. We call this voltage the induced emf
( ).
A circuit loop connected to a sensitive ammeter will register a current if it is set up as in this figure and the magnet is moved up
and down:

Magnetic flux
Before we move onto the definition of Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and examples, we first need to spend some
time looking at the magnetic flux. For a loop of area
defined as:
Where:

in the presence of a uniform magnetic field,

, the magnetic flux ( ) is

The S.I. unit of magnetic flux is the weber (Wb).

You might ask yourself why the angle is included. The flux depends on the magnetic field that passes through surface. We
know that a field parallel to the surface can't induce a current because it doesn't pass through the surface. If the magnetic field is
not perpendicular to the surface then there is a component which is perpendicular and a component which is parallel to the
surface. The parallel component can't contribute to the flux, only the vertical component can.
In this diagram we show that a magnetic field at an angle other than perpendicular can be broken into components. The
component perpendicular to the surface has the magnitude
field.

where

is the angle between the normal and the magnetic

Definition 1: Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction

The emf, , produced around a loop of conductor is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux, , through
the area, A, of the loop. This can be stated mathematically as:

where
and B is the strength of the magnetic field.
is the number of circuit loops. A magnetic field is
measured in units of teslas (T). The minus sign indicates direction and that the induced emf tends to oppose the change
in the magnetic flux. The minus sign can be ignored when calculating magnitudes.

Faraday's Law relates induced emf to the rate of change of flux, which is the product of the magnetic field and the crosssectional area through which the field lines pass.
important:
It is not the area of the wire itself but the area that the wire encloses. This means that if you bend the wire into a circle, the area
we would use in a flux calculation is the surface area of the circle, not the wire.
In this illustration, where the magnet is in the same plane as the circuit loop, there would be no current even if the magnet were
moved closer and further away. This is because the magnetic field lines do not pass through the enclosed area but are parallel to
it. The magnetic field lines must pass through the area enclosed by the circuit loop for an emf to be induced.

Direction of induced current

The most important thing to remember is that the induced current opposes whatever change is taking place.
In the first picture (left) the circuit loop has the south pole of a magnet moving closer. The magnitude of the field from the
magnet is getting larger. The response from the induced emf will be to try to resist the field towards the pole getting stronger.
The field is a vector so the current will flow in a direction so that the fields due to the current tend to cancel those from the
magnet, keeping the resultant field the same.
To resist the change from an approaching south pole from above, the current must result in field lines that move away from the
approaching pole. The induced magnetic field must therefore have field lines that go down on the inside of the loop. The current
direction indicated by the arrows on the circuit loop will achieve this. Test this by using the Right Hand Rule. Put your right
thumb in the direction of one of the arrows and notice what the field curls downwards into the area enclosed by the loop.

In the second diagram the south pole is moving away. This means that the field from the magnet will be getting weaker. The
response from the induced current will be to set up a magnetic field that adds to the existing one from the magnetic to resist it
decreasing in strength.
Another way to think of the same feature is just using poles. To resist an approaching south pole the current that is induced
creates a field that looks like another south pole on the side of the approaching south pole. Like poles repel, you can think of the
current setting up a south pole to repel the approaching south pole. In the second panel, the current sets up a north pole to attract
the south pole to stop it moving away.

We can also use the variation of the Right Hand Rule, putting your fingers in the direction of the current to get your thumb to
point in the direction of the field lines (or the north pole).
We can test all of these on the cases of a north pole moving closer or further away from the circuit. For the first case of the north
pole approaching, the current will resist the change by setting up a field in the opposite direction to the field from the magnet
that is getting stronger. Use the Right Hand Rule to confirm that the arrows create a field with field lines that curl upwards in the
enclosed area cancelling out those curling downwards from the north pole of the magnet.
Like poles repel, alternatively test that putting the fingers of your right hand in the direction of the current leaves your thumb
pointing upwards indicating a north pole.

For the second figure where the north pole is moving away the situation is reversed.
Direction of induced current in a solenoid
The approach for looking at the direction of current in a solenoid is the same the approach described above. The only difference
being that in a solenoid there are a number of loops of wire so the magnitude of the induced emf will be different. The flux
would be calculated using the surface area of the solenoid multiplied by the number of loops.
Remember: the directions of currents and associated magnetic fields can all be found using only the Right Hand Rule. When the
fingers of the right hand are pointed in the direction of the magnetic field, the thumb points in the direction of the current. When
the thumb is pointed in the direction of the magnetic field, the fingers point in the direction of the current.
The direction of the current will be such as to oppose the change. We would use a setup as in this sketch to do the test:

In the case where a north pole is brought towards the solenoid the current will flow so that a north pole is established at the end
of the solenoid closest to the approaching magnet to repel it (verify using the Right Hand Rule):

In the case where a north pole is moving away from the solenoid the current will flow so that a south pole is established at the
end of the solenoid closest to the receding magnet to attract it:

In the case where a south pole is moving away from the solenoid the current will flow so that a north pole is established at the
end of the solenoid closest to the receding magnet to attract it:

In the case where a south pole is brought towards the solenoid the current will flow so that a south pole is established at the end
of the solenoid closest to the approaching magnet to repel it:

Tip:
An easy way to create a magnetic field of changing intensity is to move a permanent magnet next to a wire or coil of wire. The
magnetic field must increase or decrease in intensityperpendicular to the wire (so that the magnetic field lines cut across the
conductor), or else no voltage will be induced.
Tip:
The induced current generates a magnetic field. The induced magnetic field is in a direction that tends to cancel out the change
in the magnetic field in the loop of wire. So, you can use the Right Hand Rule to find the direction of the induced current by
remembering that the induced magnetic field is opposite in direction to the change in the magnetic field.
Induction
Electromagnetic induction is put into practical use in the construction of electrical generators which use mechanical power to
move a magnetic field past coils of wire to generate voltage. However, this is by no means the only practical use for this
principle.
If we recall, the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying wire is always perpendicular to the wire, and that the flux
intensity of this magnetic field varies with the amount of current which passes through it. We can therefore see that a wire is
capable of inducing a voltagealong its own length if the current is changing. This effect is called self-induction. Self-induction is
when a changing magnetic field is produced by changes in current through a wire, inducing a voltage along the length of that
same wire.
If the magnetic flux is enhanced by bending the wire into the shape of a coil, and/or wrapping that coil around a material of high
permeability, this effect of self-induced voltage will be more intense. A device constructed to take advantage of this effect is
called an inductor.
Remember that the induced current will create a magnetic field that opposes the change in the magnetic flux. This is known as
Lenz's law.

Example 1: Faraday's law

Question
Consider a flat square coil with 5 turns. The coil is 0,50 m on each side and has a magnetic field of 0,5 T passing through it. The
plane of the coil is perpendicular to the magnetic field: the field points out of the page. Use Faraday's Law to calculate the
induced emf, if the magnetic field is increases uniformly from 0,5 T to 1 T in 10 s. Determine the direction of the induced
current.

Answer
Identify what is required
We are required to use Faraday's Law to calculate the induced emf.
Write Faraday's Law

We know that the magnetic field is at right angles to the surface and so aligned with the normal. This means we
do not need to worry about the angle that the field makes with the normal and
. The starting or initial magnetic
field,
, is given as is the final field magnitude,
. We want to determine the magnitude of the emf so we can ignore the
minus sign.
The area,

, is the area of square coil.

Solve Problem

The induced current is anti-clockwise as viewed from the direction of the increasing magnetic field.

Example 2: Faraday's law

Question
Consider a solenoid of 9 turns with unknown radius, . The solenoid is subjected to a magnetic field of 0,12 T. The axis of the
solenoid is parallel to the magnetic field. When the field is uniformly switched to 12 T over a period of 2 minutes an emf with a
magnitude of 0,3 V is induced. Determine the radius of the solenoid.

Answer
Identify what is required
We are required to determine the radius of the solenoid. We know that the relationship between the induced emf and the field is
governed by Faraday's law which includes the geometry of the solenoid. We can use this relationship to find the radius.
Write Faraday's Law

We know that the magnetic field is at right angles to the surface and so aligned with the normal. This means we
do not need to worry about the angle the field makes with the normal and
. The starting or initial magnetic field,
, is
given as is the final field magnitude,
. We can drop the minus sign because we are working with the magnitude of the emf
only.
The area,

, is the surface area of the solenoid which is

Solve Problem

The solenoid has a radius of 0,32 m.

Example 3: Faraday's law

Question
Consider a circular coil of 4 turns with radius 3 102 m. The solenoid is subjected to a varying magnetic field that changes
uniformly from 0,4 T to 3,4 T in an interval of 27 s. The axis of the solenoid makes an angle of 35 to the magnetic field. Find
the induced emf.

Answer
Identify what is required
We are required to use Faraday's Law to calculate the induced emf.
Write Faraday's Law

We know that the magnetic field is at an angle to the surface normal. This means we must account for the angle
that the field makes with the normal and
. The starting or initial magnetic field,
magnitude,
. We want to determine the magnitude of the emf so we can ignore the minus sign.
The area,

, will be

Solve Problem

The induced current is anti-clockwise as viewed from the direction of the increasing magnetic field.

Real-life applications
The following devices use Faraday's Law in their operation.

, is given as is the final field

induction stoves

tape players

metal detectors

transformers

Project 1: Real-life applications of Faraday's Law

Choose one of the following devices and do some research on the internet, or in a library, how your device works. You will need
to refer to Faraday's Law in your explanation.

induction stoves

tape players

metal detectors

transformers

Exercise 1: Faraday's Law

Problem 1:
State Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction in words and write down a mathematical relationship.
Answer 1:
The emf, , produced around a loop of conductor is proportional to the rate of change of the magnetic flux, , through the area,
A, of the loop. This can be stated mathematically as:

where
and B is the strength of the magnetic field.
is the number of circuit loops. A magnetic field is measured in
units of teslas (T). The minus sign indicates direction and that the induced emf tends to oppose the change in the magnetic flux.
The minus sign can be ignored when calculating magnitudes.
Problem 2:
Describe what happens when a bar magnet is pushed into or pulled out of a solenoid connected to an ammeter. Draw pictures to
support your description.
Answer 2:
In the case where a north pole is brought towards the solenoid the current will flow so that a north pole is established at the end
of the solenoid closest to the approaching magnet to repel it (verify using the Right Hand Rule):

In the case where a north pole is moving away from the solenoid the current will flow so that a south pole is established at the
end of the solenoid closest to the receding magnet to attract it:

In the case where a south pole is moving away from the solenoid the current will flow so that a north pole is established at the
end of the solenoid closest to the receding magnet to attract it:

In the case where a south pole is brought towards the solenoid the current will flow so that a south pole is established at the end
of the solenoid closest to the approaching magnet to repel it:

Problem 3:
Explain how it is possible for the magnetic flux to be zero when the magnetic field is not zero.
Answer 3:
The flux is related to the magnetic field:

If
is 0, then the magnetic flux will be 0 even if there is a magnetic field. In this case the magnetic field is parallel to the
surface and does not pass through it.
Problem 4:
Use the Right Hand Rule to determine the direction of the induced current in the solenoid below.

Answer 4:
A south pole of a magnet is approaching the solenoid. Lenz's law tells us that the current will flow so as to oppose the change. A
south pole at the end of the solenoid would oppose the approaching south pole. The current will circulate into the page at the top
of the coil so that the thumb on a right hand points to the left.
Problem 5:
Consider a circular coil of 5 turns with radius 1,73 m. The coil is subjected to a varying magnetic field that changes uniformly
from 2,18 T to 12,7 T in an interval of 3 minutes. The axis of the solenoid makes an angle of 27 to the magnetic field. Find the
induced emf.
Answer 5:
We know that the magnetic field is at an angle to the surface normal. This means we must account for the angle that the field
makes with the normal and
. The starting or initial magnetic field,
, is given as is the final field
magnitude,
. We want to determine the magnitude of the emf so we can ignore the minus sign. The area, A, will be

Problem 6:
Consider a solenoid coil of 11 turns with radius 13,8 102 m. The solenoid is subjected to a varying magnetic field that changes
uniformly from 5,34 T to 2,7 T in an interval of 12 s. The axis of the solenoid makes an angle of 13 to the magnetic field.
a.

Find the induced emf.

b.

If the angle is changed to 67,4, what would the radius need to be for the emf to remain the same?

Answer 6:

a.

b.

Problem 7:
Consider a solenoid with 5 turns and a radius of 11 102 m. The axis of the solenoid makes an angle of 23 to the magnetic
field.
a.

Find the change in flux if the emf is 12 V over a period of 12 s.

b.

If the angle is changed to 45, what would the time interval need to change to for the induced emf to remain the same?

Answer 7:
a.

b.

All the values remain the same between the two situations described except for the angle and the time. We can equate the
equations for the two scenarios: