The Alternating Current Generator

An electric generator, or dynamo, is a device which converts

mechanical energy into electrical energy. The simplest practical
generator consists of a rectangular coil rotating in a uniform
magnetic field. The magnetic field is usually supplied by a
permanent magnet. This setup is illustrated in Fig. 38.

Figure 38: An alternating current generator.

Let be the length of the coil along its axis of rotation, and the width of the coil
perpendicular to this axis. Suppose that the coil rotates with constant angular velocity
in a uniform magnetic field of strength . The velocity with which the the two
long sides of the coil (i.e., sides and ) move through the magnetic field is simply
the product of the angular velocity of rotation
from the axis of rotation, so

and the distance

of each side

. The motional emf induced in each side is

given by
, where
is the component of the magnetic field perpendicular
to instantaneous direction of motion of the side in question