Electro-magnetism – Summary Notes

 Hans Oersted was the first who, in 1820, observed that: “when an electric current is passed
through a conducting wire, a magnetic field is produced around it”.
 When a current flow through a conductor, a small magnetic field is set up in its
neighbourhood. The direction of magnetic field or magnetic lines of force, produced due
to flow of current in a conductor can be determined by the following two rules:
 Right Hand Thumb Rule: If we hold a current carrying conductor in the right hand such
that the thumb points in the direction of current, the direction in which the fingers encircle
the wire will give the direction of the magnetic lines of force around the wire.
 Maxwell’s Corkscrew Rule: If a corkscrew is being screwed along a conductor in the
direction of current, the direction in which the ends of the handle move gives the direction
of lines of magnetic force.
 The magnetic field produced by a current-carrying solenoid is similar to that produced by
a bar magnet.
 A solenoid is an insulated copper coil, wound on a cylindrical cardboard such that its
length is greater that its diameter and behaves like a magnet, when a current is made to
flow through it.
 In a current-carrying circular coil, when the direction of current is downward, the direction
of magnetic lines of force is clockwise. When the direction of current is upward, the
direction of magnetic lines of force is anticlockwise.
 Polarity at the faces of current-carrying loop: If the current around the face of a loop is
in the anticlockwise direction, it develops north polarity. If the current around the face of
the loop is in the clockwise direction, it develops south polarity.

 An electromagnet is a temporary strong magnet. It is a solenoid with wire wound on a soft

iron core. An electromagnet is made of soft iron and not of steel because it can be
demagnetised easily, whereas it is difficult to demagnetise steel.
 The magnetic field of an electromagnet can be increased by:
 Increasing the number of turns of winding,
 Increasing the current through the solenoid,
 Decreasing the air gap between two poles and
 Winding the coils on a soft iron core.
 Electromagnets are used:
 In the construction of electrical appliances such as electric bells, electric fans,
telephones, electric generators, etc.
 For magnetic separation and for lifting heavy ferromagnetic loads (materials).
 In scientific research to study the magnetic properties of a substance in a magnetic
field.
 A permanent magnet is made from steel or alnico. Once magnetised, it does not lose its
magnetism easily. These magnets are used in electric meters, for example, galvanometers,
ammeters, voltmeters, etc.
 An electromagnet can be demagnetised by:
 Heating, rough handling or hammering.
 Electrical method using alternating current.
 Self-demagnetisation.
 An electric bell is one of the most common applications of an electromagnet.
 If the current flowing through a conductor is I amperes and strength of the magnetic field
acting at right angle to it be B tesla and the length of the conductor is l metres, the force is
given by:
F = BIl newtons
 Fleming’s Left Hand Rule: Hold the thumb, first and second fingers of your left hand as
to be mutually at right angles. If the first finger indicates the direction of magnetic field
and the sound finger indicates the direction of current, the thumb will indicate the direction
of force on conductor.
 A dc motor or an electric motor is a device which converts electrical energy into
mechanical energy. A dc motor works on the principle that when a current-carrying coil
is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force.
 The main parts of a dc motor are:
 Field magnet, supplied by a permanent horseshoe magnet.
 Armature, which rotates about a spindle in the space between two concave cylindrical
poles of the permanent magnet.
 Split rings or commutator, which rotate along with the armature.
 Brushes (made up of carbon), which do not rotate along with the coil but make contact
with the rotating rings and supply current to the coil.
 Speed of a motor depends on the strength of the magnetic field, current and the number of
turns in the armature coil.
 The direction of rotation of a motor can be reversed by interchanging the terminals of the
battery connected to the brushes of the motor.
 The current produced in a closed coil due to the relative motion between the coil and the
magnetic field is called the induced current and such a phenomenon is called
electromagnetic induction.
 According to Fleming’s right hand rule, stretch the forefinger, middle finger and the thumb
of your right hand mutually at right angles to each other. If the forefinger points in the
direction of magnetic field and thumb denotes the direction of motion of conductor, the
middle finger will always point in the direction of induced current.
 According to Lenz’s law, the direction of induced emf is such that it always tends to
oppose the cause which produces it.
 An ac generator or a dynamo is a device which converts mechanical energy into electrical
energy. A dynamo works on the principle of electromagnetic induction, which states that
when a coil or a conductor is rotated in a magnetic field, the magnetic flux linked with it
changes and, hence, alternating emf is induced in the coil.
 The magnitude of the voltage produced by a generator depends on the following:
 The speed of coil: The faster the coil moves, the greater is the voltage.
 The strength of the magnetic field: The strong is the magnetic field, the greater is the
voltage.
 The number of turns on the coil: The more is the number of turns, the greater is the
voltage.
 A transformer is a device by which the amplitude of an alternating emf can be increased
or decreased.
It works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. It cannot be used with direct current
(dc) since its working is based on the change of magnetic flux with the varying current.
 In a step-up transformer, is low ac voltage changes to a high ac voltage. In this transformer,
the number of turns in the secondary coil are more than the number of turns in the primary
coil. The wire used for the primary coil is thick as compared to that used for secondary
coil.
 In a step-down transformer, a high ac voltage changes to a law ac voltage. In this
transformer, the number of turns in secondary coil are less than the number of turns in the
primary coil. The wire used for secondary coil is thick as compared to that used for primary
coil.
 The magnitude of emf induced in secondary coil depends on the following factors:
 Ratio of the number of turns in secondary to primary coil.
 Magnitude of emf applied in the primary coil.
Emf across thesecondary coil
 For a transformer,
Emf across the primary coil
Number of turns in thesecondary coil

Number of turns in the coil primary coil
Es Ns
or  = Transformation ratio or turns ratio, n
Ep Np
 Energy Losses in a transformer: The main causes of loss of energy in a transformer are
as follows:
Heating in the coil: It is reduced by taking a thick coil where large current flows.
Eddy currents in the core: It is reduced by taking the core of soft iron.
Hysteresis loss in the core: It is reduced by taking the core of soft iron.
 Step-up transformers are used in:
 Power transmission at the generating stations.
 Televisions.
 Wireless sets.
 X-ray tubes.
 Step-down transformers are used in:
 Electric bells.
 Radio-sets.
 Power substations to step down the voltage before its distribution to the consumers.