Electromagnetism

Magnetic field due to an electric current

• Magnetic fields can be set up not only by
permanent magnets, but also by electric
currents.
• When a conductor carries an electric
current, a magnetic field is produced around
that conductor
• Approaching current flowing is indicated by
a dot equivalent to the approaching point of
the arrow
• Current flowing away is represented by a
cross equivalent to the departing tail
feathers of the arrow
Direction of magnetic field
Methods of determining direction of magnetic field are the Right-
hand screw rule and right hand grip rule
Magnetic field of a solenoid
• If a coil is wound on a steel rod, and
connected to a battery, the steel becomes
magnetized and behaves like a permanent
magnet and is called a solenoid.
• The magnetic field of the solenoid is
represented by the dotted lines and its
direction by the arrowheads.
• The direction of the magnetic field may be
deduced by applying either the screw or
the grip rule.
Force on a current carrying conductor
• If a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field
then the two fields interact and cause a force to be exerted on
the conductor as shown.
• This is the principle of operation of the electric motor

conductor magnetic field

Force on a current carrying conductor
The force on the current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field
depends upon:
(a) the flux density of the field, B teslas
(b) the strength of the current, I amperes
(c) the length of the conductor perpendicular to the magnetic
field, l metres,
(d) the directions of the field and the current
Force on a current carrying conductor
• When the magnetic field, the current and the conductor are
mutually at right-angles, then:
Force F = BIl newtons
• When the conductor and the field are at an angle θ˚to each other
then:
Force F = BIl sin θ newtons
Fleming’s left-hand rule
• Also called the motor rule, it gives the direction of motion and it
states that :
• If the thumb, first finger and second finger of the left hand are
extended such that they are all at right-angles to each other.
• If the first finger points in the direction of the magnetic field, the
second finger points in the direction of the current,
then the thumb will point in the direction of
motion of the conductor. ie:
• First finger – Field
• SeCond finger – Current
• ThuMb – Motion
Example
A conductor carries a current of 20 A and is at right-angles to a magnetic
field having a flux density of 0.9 T. If the length of the conductor in the
field is 30 cm, calculate the force acting on the conductor. Determine also
the value of the force if the conductor is inclined at an angle of 30˚ to the
direction of the field.

a) Force F = BIl = (0.9)(20)(0.30) =5.4N

b) Force F=BIl sin θ =(0.9)(20)(0.30) sin 30 ˚ F=2.7N
Electromagnetic Induction
• When a conductor is moved across a magnetic field so as to
cut through the lines of force (or flux), an e.m.f. is produced
in the conductor.
• This is the principle of operation of a generator
• If the conductor forms part of a closed circuit then the e.m.f.
produced causes an electric current to flow round the circuit.
• Hence an e.m.f. (and thus current) is ‘induced’ in the
conductor as a result of its movement across the magnetic
field.
• This effect is known as ‘electromagnetic induction’.
Laws of electromagnetic induction
Faraday’s laws give the magnitude of induced emf and state
(i) An induced e.m.f. is set up whenever the magnetic field linking
that circuit changes.
(ii) The magnitude of the induced e.m.f. in any circuit is proportional
to the rate of change of the magnetic flux linking the circuit.
Lenz’s law give the direction of induced emf states:
The direction of an induced e.m.f. is always such that it tends to set
up a current opposing the motion or the change of flux responsible
for inducing that e.m.f.
Fleming’s Right-hand rule
• This is an alternative method to Lenz’s law of
determining directions, often called the
geneRator rule and states:
• If the first finger points in the direction of
the magnetic field, the thumb points in the
direction of motion of the conductor relative
to the magnetic field, then the second finger
will point in the direction of the induced
e.m.f. ie:
First finger – Field
ThuMb – Motion
SEcond finger – E.m.f.
Emf induced in a coil
• In a generator, conductors forming an electric circuit are made to
move through a magnetic field.
• The induced e.m.f. E set up between the ends of the conductor is
given by:
E=Blv volts
• where B, the flux density, in teslas, l, the length of conductor in
the magnetic field, in metres, and v, the conductor velocity, in
metres per second.
• If the conductor moves at an angle θ◦ to the magnetic field then
E=Blv sin θ volts
Example
A conductor moves with a velocity of 15 m/s at an angle of (a) 90◦, (b)
60◦ and (c) 30◦ to a magnetic field produced between two square-
faced poles of side length 2 cm. If the flux leaving a pole face is 5μWb,
find the magnitude of the induced e.m.f. in each case.
Self inductance
• Inductance is the name given to the property of a circuit
whereby there is an e.m.f. induced into the circuit by the change
of flux linkages produced by a current change.
• When the e.m.f. is induced in the same circuit as that in which
the current is changing, the property is called self inductance, L.
• The unit of inductance is the henry, H.
• A circuit has an inductance of one henry when an e.m.f. of one
volt is induced in it by a current changing at the rate of one
ampere per second.
Mutual inductance

• When the e.m.f. is induced in a circuit by a change of flux due to

current changing in an adjacent circuit, the property is called
mutual inductance, M.
• The unit of mutual inductance is also the henry, H.
• Mutual inductance is the principle of operation of transformers
Mutual inductance
• If L1 and L2 are the self inductances of the two circuits and M the
mutual inductance between them.
• The mutual inductance M is defined by the relationship:

where E2 is the e.m.f. in circuit 2 due to

current I1 in circuit 1 and E1 is the e.m.f.
in circuit 1 due to the current I2 in circuit 2.
Induced EMF in a coil
• Induced e.m.f. in a coil of N turns,

where dφ/dt is the rate of change of flux.

• Induced e.m.f. in a coil of inductance L henrys,

where dI/dt is the rate of change of current.

• The minus sign in each of the above two equations shows
the direction which is given by Lenz’s law).
Example
a. Determine the e.m.f. induced in a coil of 200 turns when there is
a change of flux of 25 mWb linking with it in 50 ms.
b. Calculate the e.m.f. induced in a coil of inductance 12 H by a
current changing at the rate of 4 A/s
Energy storage in a magnetic field
• The energy stored, W, in the magnetic field of an inductor is
given by:

Example
An 8 H inductor has a current of 3 A flowing through it. How
much energy is stored in the magnetic field of the inductor?
(36 joules)
Inductance of a coil
• It was seen that induced e.m.f. and also

• If a current changing from 0 to I amperes, produces a flux change from 0

to φ Webers, then dI = I and d φ = φ . Then, rearranging:

• Mutually induced e.m.f. in the second coil,

where M is the mutual inductance between two coils, in henrys, and

dI1/dt is the rate of change of current in the first coil.
Inductors
• An inductor is a component used when the property of inductance
is required in a circuit. Its basic form is simply a coil of wire.
• Factors which affect the inductance of an inductor include:
(i) the number of turns of wire
(ii) the cross-sectional area of the coil of wire
(iii) the permeability of core material
(iv) the length of coil
Types of Inductors
• The size of an inductor is
determined primarily by the type of
construction, the core used, or the
current rating.
• They can be categorized under the
general headings of fixed or
variable
• In variable, the inductance is
changed by turning the slot at the
end of the core to move it in and
out of the unit
Inductors