Experiment 4

Verification of Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction

Equipment and Materials Part Number

- 1 Science Workshop 750

- 1 Set of two bar magnets
- 1 Large Base and Support Rod
- 1200-turn Coil (or equivalent)
- 1400-turn Coil (or equivalent)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this activity is to measure the voltage across a coil of wire when a bar magnet
moves through the coil of wire. Compare the voltage to the number of turns of wire in the coil.

2. Background

Michael Faraday was one of the first scientists to show that electricity can be produced from
magnetism. The essence of his discovery is described in the following statement:
A changing magnetic field in the presence of a conductor induces a voltage in the conductor.
For example, if a coil of wire is near a magnet, and the magnetic
field of the magnet somehow changes, there will be a voltage
across the coil of wire as a result.
How do you change the magnetic field of a magnet? Can the
magnetic field be turned on and off like a light bulb? The answer
is ‘no’ (at least for permanent magnets). However, you can
change the magnetic field in the presence of the coil of wire by
moving the magnet relative to the coil, or moving the coil
relative to the magnet.
Because electricity is induced by a changing magnetic field, this
process is called electromagnetic induction. It’s the concept
behind the electric generator (and countless other electrical
devices).
Faraday discovered several factors that determine how much
voltage is induced. One is the strength of the magnetic field. A Fig. 1. Electromagnetic
second is how fast the magnetic field changes. Another factor is induction
the number of turns (loops) of wire that are in the coil.

3. Procedure

3.1 Preview
Use a Voltage sensor to measure the voltage across a coil of wire as a bar magnet moves through
the coil of wire. Use the Science Workshop 750 and Data Studio to record and display the
voltage. Examine the graph of voltage versus time to determine the amount of voltage. Compare
the voltage for coils that have different numbers of turns of wire.

3.2 Science Workshop Setup

1. Turn on Computer and then the Science Workshop 750
2. Set Data studio. The file is set to measure voltage
100 times per second (100 Hz).
3. Plug a Voltage sensor into chanel A of Science Workshop 750.

3.3 Equipment Setup

1. Set up the coil that has the least number of turns
of wire so that you can drop a bar magnet vertically
through the center of the coil.
2. Connect the Voltage sensor to the coil terminals.
3. Place a protective pad or cushion underneath the
coil to catch the bar magnet after it falls through
the coil.
(Be careful to leave enough room under the coil so
the magnet can fall completely through the coil
before it reaches the pad or cushion).

4. Record Data

4.1 Single bar magnet

4.1.1 North Pole
1. Arrange the bar magnet above the coil so the
Fig. 2: Equipment setup
‘North’ end of the magnet is at the bottom. (On
some bar magnets, the north end is marked with a stripe or notch.)
2. Press “Start” button on the Data Studio interface to start recording data.
3. Drop the bar magnet through the center of the coil, and then press “Stop” button to stop data
recording.
4. Make a Data Table to record the number of turns of wire and the values of Voltage Peak 1 and
Voltage Peak 2 in two separated columns for this case.

4.1.2 South Pole

1. Reverse the arrangement of the bar magnet so the South end of the magnet will fall through the
coil first.
2. Repeat the experimental procedure similar to part 4.1.1.
3. Record the values of voltage peak 1 and peak 2 in the same data table for second case.

4.2. Double Bar Magnet

4.2.1 North–South Poles

1. Tape two bar magnets together so each end has a ‘north’ and ‘south’ pole together.
2. Repeat the experimental procedure similar to part 4.1.1.
3. Record the values of voltage peak 1 and peak 2 in the same data table for this case.
4.2.2 North–North, South–South Poles
1. Rearrange the two bar magnets so one end is ‘north-north’ and the other end is ‘south-south’.
2. Repeat the experimental procedure similar to part 4.1.1.
3. Record the values of voltage peak 1 and peak 2 in the same data table for this case.

4.3 Second Coil

1. Replace the first coil with the coil that has more turns of wire. Record the number of turns of
wire in the second coil.
2. Repeat the data recording process as mentioned above

5. Analysis

- Examine each run of data in your graph of voltage versus time to find the maximum voltage for
each pole of the bar magnet. Using Datastudio to examine and analysis the graph and data (ask
instrutor for more detail).
- Complete the experimental report by answering the following questions:
1. How does the voltage of the second peak compare to the voltage of the first peak?
2. For each run, how does the magnitude (amount) of the voltage of the second peak compare to
the magnitude of the voltage of the first peak? Explain why you think this happens.
3.. How does the shape of the voltage versus time graph when the north pole of the magnet is
dropped first compare to the overall shape of the graph when the south pole is dropped first?
4. How does the maximum voltage for the coil with more turns compare to the maximum voltage
for the coil with fewer turns?
5. Do your results support your prediction?