Design Experiment:

Factors Affecting the Inductance in

a Circuit

Prepared by:
Hizon, Raje Emmanuel J.
Lojica, Kate Ann M.
Magdugo, Arlan Joseph F.
Masangcay, Joyce Mavirich C.
Mayo, Ronalie Nicole S.
Mendoza, Theresa C.
Miguel, Julian Rafael A.
Quito, Jerome D.

Professor Joseph Bryan Ibarra

 Design Experiment

Objectives:

1. To determine the inductance in a circuit having a certain voltage and resistor

2. To evaluate the effects of the length of coil, through elongation or compression, to inductance

3. To evaluate the effects of varying resistances in the measured value of inductance

Theoretical Discussion:

Inductance (L) is the ability to induce a voltage across itself with a change in current. In
electrical circuits, inductance is similar to inertia in mechanical operations.

Every wire in an electrical circuit has some associated inductance. A wire is composed of groups
of conductive coils wrapped around a ferromagnetic material such as iron. When a circuit is said
to be of large inductance, the current is hard to change.

In increasing the property of inductance, the conductor can be formed into a loop or coil. Current
through one loop produces a magnetic field that encircles the loop in the direction shown in
figure 1. The current in each loop affect other loops this is because field cutting each loop has the
effect of increasing the opposition to a current change.

Figure 1. How a current flows through an

inductor
Inductance results from the fact that a flow of current produces a magnetic field, according to the
"righthand rule". However, a changing magnetic field also tends to induce a voltage (or current)
in a wire is the magnetic flux. The net result is that whenever we try to create a flow of current
in a wire, the resultant magnetic field will couple back and will tend to oppose the change in
current that we're trying to make. Note that the effect depends on the rate of change of current,
not on the value of the steady current itself.
The amount of inductance in an inductor is dependent on:

A. The number of turns of wire in the inductor.

A greater number of turns of wire in the coil results in greater inductance and fewer turns
of wire in the coil results less inductance (Figure 2). The reason for this is that more turns
of wire means that the coil will generate a greater amount of magnetic field or force, for a
given amount of coil current.

Figure 1. The inductance of the coil increases there

are more coil turns.

B. The material of the core.

The greater the magnetic permeability of the core which the coil is wrapped around, the
greater the inductance and the less the permeability of the core the less inductance
(Figure 3). This is because core material with greater magnetic permeability results in
greater magnetic field flux for any given amount of field force.

Figure 2. The inductance of a coil in relation with the material of

the conductor
 C. The shape and size of the core. (Area)

Since greater coil area presents less opposition to the formation of magnetic flux, for a
given amount of field force, greater area of a coil results greater inductance (Figure 4).

Figure 3. The inductance of the coil increases when the coil

radius increases.

D. The shape, size and arrangement of the wire making up the coils.

A longer path for the magnetic field flux results in more opposition to the formation of
that flux for any given amount of field force. The longer the coil’s length, the less
inductance and the shorter the length the greater inductance (Figure 5)

Figure 4. The inductance of the coil increases

when the length of the coil decreases
Inductance is measured by:

𝑁2𝐴
𝐿 = 𝜇𝑜
𝑙
Where:

𝜇𝑜 is equal to the permeability of the coil in free space = 4𝜋𝑥10−7

 N is the no. of turns in the coil

A is the area of the cross sectional area of the coil

l is the length of the coil

By Faraday’s Law

𝑑𝐼
𝐿 = 𝑣
𝑑𝑡
Where:

V is voltage

I is current

When the inductance of the coil is changed, the coil tends to make a magnetic field that
would result in a magnetic flux that will create an inertia which resists the current that flows in
the inductor. As an effect, the current changes with respect to the inductor, and will also create a
change in the voltage applied on the circuit.
Laboratory Equipment:

Quantity Apparatus
1 pc Circuit 1 trainer kit (EEC471-2 andEEC470)
1pc Circuit 1 trainer power supply (Feedback Power Supply PS445)
1 pc Electronic V.O.M.
1 pc Inductor (coil)

Procedure:

A. Effect of the Length of Coil

1. Set-up the circuit shown blow. Measure the inductance, L0. Assure that the resistances used
are not too high or too low.

Figure 6. Experimental Set-up

2. After doing so, elongate the coil. Measure the value of inductance, LE, in order to determine
the effect of increasing length of the coil.

3. For the next step, compress the coil. Measure the value of inductance, LC, in order to
determine the effect of decreasing length of the coil.

B. Effect of Varying Resistances

1. Figure 1 is also used for this part of the experiment.

2. Find resistors with higher resistances than the previous ones. Measure the resistances using
Electronic V.O.M.

3. Measure the inductance, LH, for the new set of resistors.

4. Repeat 2 & 3 but this time with lower resistances. Note the value of the measured inductance
as LL.

Preliminary Data Sheet

A. Effect of the Length of Coil

Initial Measured Inductance, L0

Voltage Source, V
Measured Resistances:
R1
R2
R3
Measured Values Remarks
Inductance after Elongation, LE

Inductance after Compression, LC

B. Effect of Varying Resistances

Higher Voltages
Measured Values Remarks
R1
R2
R3
Measured Inductance, LH
Lower Voltages
R1
R2
R3
Measured Inductance, LL