Electromagnetic Induction

Whenever the magnetic flux linked with a coil (or a closed circuit) changes with time, an emf
and a current are induced in the circuit. This phenomenon first observed by Faraday is called
electromagnetic induction.
Magnetic flux associated with any area is given by the expression

Here Bis the magnetic field and ds is area element. Area is taken as a vector quantity and its
direction is perpendicular to surface
Flux associated with plane coil having N turns in a uniform magnetic field B is equal to
=> N( B. A)
=> B = NBA cos
Here N is the number of turns in the loop
B = magnetic field strength
A = area of the loop
= angle between area vector and magnetic field.
Faradays Law of Electromagnetic Induction

Induced emf can be given by the expression

As such Faradays law in itself is complete to tell the magnitude and polarity of induced emf, it is
the Lenzs rule that is commonly used to determine the polarity of induced emf or direction of
induced current.
Magnetic flux associated with a loop can be changed by various method . By changing N by
changing B by changing A or by changing the angle between A and B

Example: A rectangular loop of length l and breadth b is situated in a uniform magnetic field of
induction B with its plane perpendicular to the field as shown in the figure.

Calculate the rate of change of magnetic flux and the induced e.m.f. if the loop is rotated with
constant angular velocity
(a) about an axis passing through the centre and perpendicular to the loop,
(b) about an axis passing through the centre parallel to the breadth through angle 180
Solution : (a)

The flux linked through the loop at any instant is

= BA cos.
= Blb cos = Blb = constant
Rate of change of magnetic flux is

Hence induced e.m.f. e = d /dt = 0

(b)

When the loop is rotated through 180 about an axis passing through centre and parallel to
breadth then the change in magnetic flux
d = Blb (Blb) = 2Blb.
The induced e.m.f.

Exercise 1: Referring to the previous illustration what will be the induced e.m.f. at any instant if
the loop is rotated about an axis passing through the centre and parallel to the length?
Lenzs Law

It states that induced emf opposes the cause due to which it has been induced.
Consider the following examples.
(a) Suppose north-pole of a bar magnet is moved towards a loop as shown in the figure.

Because of change in magnetic flux associated with the loop current is induced in it. Due to
induced current magnetic field is induced in such a way that it opposes the motion of bar magnet.

As north pole is moving towards the loop hence to oppose the motion of the bar magnet only
north pole will be induced on that face of the loop which faces the magnet. Hence the induced
current will be anticlockwise.
(b) Consider the figure shown.

A rectangular loop ABCD is being pulled out of the magnetic field directed into the plane of the
paper and perpendicular to the plane of the paper. As the loop is dragged out of the field the flux
associated with the loop which is directed into the plane of the paper decreases.
The induced current will flow in the loop in the sense to oppose the decreasing of this flux. For
this to happen magnetic field due to induced current in the loop must be directed into the plane of
the paper. Hence current in the loop must flow in the clockwise sense.
Motional e.m.f

If a conductor is moving in a magnetic field , electrons inside it experience a force F = e

(v x B ) and accumulate at the end of the conductor. Very soon , an electric field is
established.
Eventually component of magnetic force along the conductor length is balanced by the electric
field force and the drifting of electrons stops and an emf is established. Now ,

This is the general expression for induced emf in a conducting wire . If are mutually
perpendicular to each other then
e = Blv
Example : A copper rod of length l rotates at an angular velocity in a uniform magnetic
field B as shown in figure.

What is the induced emf across its ends?

Solution: The rod is supposed to be the combination of a number of infinitesimal elements.
Speed of each element is different. Consider an element at a distance l from O. Speed of this
element is l, and is perpendicular to its length.

O turns out to be + and P the - ve terminal.

Exercise 2: An air plane with 20m wing spread is flying at 250 m/s straight along south parallel
to the earth surface. The earths magnetic field has a horizontal component of 2 x 10-5 Wb/m2 and
the dip angle is 60. Calculate the induced emf. between the wing tips.
Self Inductance
Inductor :

Already we have studied about capacitor that stores energy in the form of electric field. Like
capacitor, inductor is also quite a commonly used element in electric circuits, which stores
magnetic energy. Inductance of an inductor depends on its geometry and medium in which it lies.
As we know that when current flows through a conductor a magnetic field is set-up around it,
and hence it is associated with magnetic flux.
If magnetic flux associated with a coil is and current in it is I , then its inductance is given by
the expression L = /I , Where L is called self-inductance of the coil.
S.I. unit of inductance is henry.
Self Inductance :

Consider the circuit, in which a solenoid is connected across a cell through a resistor.

When switch is open current in the circuit is zero. When switch is closed current flows in it.
Since current in the circuit increases from zero to a certain value, magnetic field associated with
it changes that causes induction of an e.m.f. in the solenoid.
Induction of an e.m.f. due to variation of current in the coil itself is known as self induction.
Since B = LI, and

The inductance of an ideal solenoid

Let current I flows through a solenoid. Magnetic field due to solenoid is

B = 0nI , where n is the number of turns per unit length.
If area of cross section of the solenoid is A then flux associated with length l is equal to = nlBA
.
where l is the length of the solenoid.
Now B = 0nI
=> L = / I = (nl)(0nIA)/I = 0n2lA
Mutual Inductance

Two coils C1 and C2 are placed very close to each other. A source of emf is connected in the coil
C1.

When current flows through the coil C1 magnetic field is produced . The coil C2 lies within the
magnetic field of C1 and hence magnetic flux is associated with it. So long current changes in the
coil C1 its magnetic field changes and hence flux associated with C2 also changes , which induces
an emf in the coil . Induction of an emf due to variation of current in the neighbouring coil is
known as Mutual Induction .
Flux associated with C2 depends on current in C1 and number of turns in C2.
B(C2) = MIC1 , where M is the mutual inductance of the given pair of coils.

SI unit of mutual inductance is henry.

Example : What is the self inductance of a system of co-axial cables carrying current in opposite
directions as shown. Their radii are a and b respectively.
Solution : The B between the space of the cables is
B = 0I/2r

The Amperes law tells that B outside the cables is zero, as the net current through the
amperian loop would be zero.
Taking an element of length l and thickness dr , d through it is

R L CIRCUIT

Growth of Current :

A series combination of an inductor L and a resistor R are connected across a cell of e.m.f. E
through a switch S as shown.

When switch is closed current starts increasing in the Inductor . This causes an induction of
e.m.f. in the Inductor. The induced e.m.f. opposes the growth of current in the circuit.
Let at any time t current in the circuit be It
From loop rule we obtain,

Here, It represents the instantaneous current in the circuit.

Decay of Current :

In this case source of emf. is disconnected from the circuit

(L/R) is called time constant as its dimension is same as that of time.

Example : A current of I = 10 A is passed through the part of a circuit shown in the figure. What
will be the potential difference between A and B when I is decreased at constant rate of 102
amp/s, at the beginning?

Solution : Applying the law of potential between the points A and B we obtain,
VB VA = IR + E L di/dt

=> VB VA = 10 x 2 + 12 5 x 10-3 x 102

=> VB VA = 20 + 12 0.5
=> VB VA = 8.5 volt.
Energy stored in the magnetic field of an inductor

Ei is the power supplied by the battery, i2R is the electrical power dissipated in the resistance and
Li(di/dt) is the rate of energy stored in the inductor
=> Eidt = i2Rdt + Lidi
=> Energy stored in the inductor is

Exercise 3: Referring to the previous illustration find the energy stored in the inductor when the
current I is dropped to a value of 5A.
L.C Oscillations

A capacitor is charged to a p.d. of Vo by connecting it across a battery and then it is allowed to

discharge through a pure inductor of inductance L.

Initial charge on the plates of the capacitor qo = CVo

At any instant, let the charge flown in the circuit be q and current in the circuit be i.
Applying Kirchhoff s law

Differentiating w.r.t. time we get

The charge q on the plates of the capacitor and current I in the circuit vary sinusoidally as
q = q0 sin (t + ) and
I = q0 cos (t + ).
where is the initial phase and it depends on initial situation of the circuit.
The angular frequency of the circuit = 1/(LC)
The total energy of the system remains conserved

In mechanical oscillation, there is mutual exchange between K.E. and P.E. whereas in electrical
oscillation (L.C. circuit), there is exchange between the electrical energy (associated with the
capacitor) and magnetic energy (associated with the inductor).
Problems On L.C. Oscillations

Illustration : A capacitor of capacitance 2F is charged to a potential difference of 12V. It is

then connected across an inductor of inductance 0.6 mH. What is the current in the circuit at a
time when the potential difference across the capacitor is 6.0V ?
Solution : As the capacitor is charged to a p.d. of 12V, the initial charge on the capacitor is

q0 = CV0 = 2 10-6 12 Coul. . . . (i)

At any instant as the capacitor discharges through the inductor (LC circuit), the instantaneous
charge on the capacitor is given by
q = qo cos t . . . (ii) [because at t = 0 , q = qo]
But q = CV (iii)
where V is the p.d. at the instant t
From (1) and (3) we obtain

Putting the value of V and Vo we obtain,

=> t = /3 rad.

. (iv)

Here

..(v)
The current through the circuit at that instant is given by,
i = dq/dt

=> i = q0 sin t
=> | i | = q0 sin t
Putting the value of qo from (i), wt from (v) and wt from (iv) we obtain.
|i| = 2 10-7 12 [105/23]sin(/3)
Exercise : A capacitor discharges through an inductor of 0.1 henry. If the frequency of discharge
is 1000 Hz, calculate the capacitance.
Time Varying Magnetic Field

Consider a conducting loop of area A in a uniform but time varying magnetic field. Rate of
change of magnitude of magnetic field = dB/dt

For the loop ,

Flux linked with it = BA = , (say)
(taking area vector directed along B )->
Hence,
Rate of change of flux = AdB/dt
& hence induced emf = AdB/dt
For non-zero values of dB/dt , there could be a definite current in the loop, whose direction can
be obtained using Lenzs rule.

For example , if dB/dt > 0 i.e. B is increasing with time, magnetic field produced by induced
current would oppose the existing magnetic field. Hence the induced current would be
anticlockwise.
The current in the loop can be easily known if the resistance of the loop is known as I = /R.
In the case of motional emf, you learnt that the electric field caused due to drifting of electrons is
responsible for the induced emf. Do we also have an electric field in present case also linked
with the induced emf ? The answer is partly yes and partly No.
Yes, as there is a definite field and the electric field that you know. The electric field that you
learnt in electrostatics is conservative and the associated lines of force never form closed loops.
On the other hand the field associated with the induced emf in case of time-varying magnetic
field is non-conservative then only we would have non-zero value for
Here

denotes the induced field caused by time varying magnetic field.

For the path described by the loop,

Consider a magnetic field where B (magnitude of magnetic Field ) is a function of r.

For the circular path shown in the figure.

Direction of
can be easily obtained as it would be responsible for the induced current when a
conducting loop is placed on the given path.
For example in the present case, for dB/dt > 0, path in anticlockwise sense.
Exercise: Find the magnitude of induced field
varying magnetic field

at a point r (>R) where a uniform but time

exists in a region of radius R.