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Science
Quarter 2 – Module 6 – Week 9:
Electricity and Magnetism

Locally Developed Self-Learning Material

 What I Know

Directions: Read each item carefully. Write only the letter of the correct answer for each question.
Use a separate sheet for your answers.

1. Generators are devices that convert _____ energy into _____ energy.
a. chemical; mechanical
b. electrical; mechanical
c. mechanical; electrical
d. potential; kinetic
2. What device is made of coils of wire with an electrical current passing through it to generate a
magnetic field?
a. Electromagnet
b. Electron Magnet
c. Generator
d. Motor

3. What can you do to make electromagnets stronger?

a. Increase number of coils of wire.
b. Increase number of batteries used.
c. Both A and B.
d. Neither A nor B.
4. Which best describes how a motor works?
a. When a fan blows on a wire, it causes it to spin, creating a force.
b. When a fan blows on a wire, it causes it to spin, creating an electrical current.
c. When a wire that carries electrical current is placed in zero gravity, the wire experiences a
force.
d. When a wire that carries electrical current is placed in a magnetic field, the wire experiences
a force.
5. When Jenny plugs in a toy and turns it on, a marble is carried up to the top of a slide. At the top, a
marble is released, and it goes down a slide. What kind of energy transformation occurs to make this
toy work?
a. chemical to heat
b. electrical to chemical
c. electrical to mechanical
d. sound to electrical
6. In large generators in power plants, ___________ rotate inside a coil of wire to produce an electric
current.
a. wind c. magnets
b. water d. circuits

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7. The picture shows a turbine generator used to produce electricity at a geothermal power plant.
Electricity is produced by using steam to _____________.

a. heat the turbine generators

b. reduce friction in the turbine generators
c. reduce emissions from the turbine generators
d. spin the turbine generators
8.
a. When current is increased, magnetic field strength increases
b. When current is increased the strength of magnetic field decreases
c. When the current is decreased, the strength of the magnetic field is increased.
d. There is an "indirect proportion," meaning, if the value of one goes up, the value of the
other goes down.
9. Which part in DC generators converts AC current into DC current?
a. armature c. commutator
b. brushes d. stator
10. The process of generating the current in a conductor is called
a. electromotive force
b. electromagnetic induction
c. generator energy conversion
d. induced voltage

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 Module Motors and Generators
6 (Electricity and Magnetism)
Overview
The magnets that we see today have been known as early as 2,500 years ago when ancient
Greeks living in Magnesia got fascinated by mysterious piece of rock that could attract metal objects,
particularly made of iron. These naturally occurring iron ore, lodestone (Fe3O4) and later called
magnetite, are permanent magnets. They exert forces called magnetic forces, on each other and on iron.
These materials can also turn pieces of iron into magnets.
At the center of a motor and generator is a loop of wire turning around and around inside a
magnetic field. Who would have thought that such a combination would become an integral part of today’s
technological world? But like many major scientific discoveries, electromagnetism started out as a
serendipitous moment.
This module is focused on understanding the relationship between electricity and magnetism in
electric motors and generators.

What is It

ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

Look Back in History:

In 1600, the English physician and scientist William Gilbert published a volume
entitled De Magnete, summarizing all that was the known about magnetism and
electricity. Gilbert, as well as many other scientists of his time and before him, had
noticed remarkable similarities between magnetism and electricity.

Electricity Magnetism

➢ There are two types of electric ➢ There are two types of magnetic
charges: positive and negative poles: north-seeking and south-
charges. seeking poles.
➢ Like charges repel and unlike ➢ Like poles repel and unlike poles
charges attract each other. attract each other.
➢ Charged objects set up electric ➢ Magnetic objects set up magnetic
field of forces. fields of force.
➢ Certain materials may be ➢ Certain materials may be
electrified by rubbing (ebonite rod magnetized by rubbing (steel rod
with cat’s fur). with lodestone).

These and other observations had led early scientists to believe that electricity
and magnetism might be very closely related.

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Magnetic Field

The previous activity showed one way to describe the strength and direction of
magnetic field around a magnet. When the iron filings are sprinkled over the bond
paper, they follow a certain pattern that start from one pole and end to the other, like
the electric field lines between point charges with opposite signs. The lines are called
magnetic field lines.

Just like the electric field lines, when the magnetic field lines are close to each
other, the magnetic field in that area is strong and weak when the field lines are far
apart. As noticed in the activity, the field lines are closest at the poles. These means
that the magnetic field close to the poles is strong at this area. This is noticeable when
we move two magnets close to each other. We can feel the increasing strength of the
magnetic force (attraction or repulsion) the two poles are applying to each other.

Figure 1: Magnetic Field Lines around magnets arranged in different ways.

Magnetic Materials

Materials that experience an evident force due to a nearby magnet are called
ferromagnetic (ferro means iron). These materials experience a magnetic force
toward a region of a stronger magnetic field. Some ferromagnetic materials are
composed of iron, nickel, cobalt, and chromium dioxide. Refrigerator magnets stick to
refrigerators because they are ferromagnetic.

The nonmagnetic materials are divided into two groups: paramagnetic and
diamagnetic. Paramagnetic materials are like ferromagnetic. They are slightly
attracted by magnets, and include iron-bearing materials such as aluminum, platinum,
manganese, and chromium. On the other hand, diamagnetic materials are slightly
repelled by magnets, and include materials such as bismuth, antimony, copper, zinc,
mercury, gold, and silver.

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 Paramagnets and diamagnets have atomic dipoles that are randomly oriented.
Even if you put them in a strong magnetic field, the dipoles will only line up along the
direction of the magnetic field very slightly. In ferromagnetic materials, such as iron,
many atomic dipoles are aligned in the same direction. This group of atoms, with their
magnetic field pointing in the same direction, is called a magnetic domain.

Objects made of iron such as nails and paper clips can be temporarily
magnetized. After stroking an iron nail against a magnet, the nail becomes magnetic.
This causes the domains to line up so that like poles all point to the same direction. It
can attract other iron objects for a while, but the nail will lose its magnetism eventually.

Figure 2: Magnetized ferromagnetic Figure 3: Magnetic domains of magnetized and

material such as paper clips can unmagnetized ferromagnetic materials. (A) A normal
attract other magnetic materials. iron nail is made up of billions of domains arranged
randomly; (B) The domains will align themselves
along the magnetic field lines of a nearby magnet.
Electromagnetism

In nearly end of 1819, Hans Christian Oersted discovered that a magnetic field
exists around current-carrying wire. His important discovery firmly established the link
between electricity and magnetism.

Figure 4: Oersted’s Experiment

A wire which is part of a closed circuit is placed on top of a compass. If there is no current in
the wire, the compass needle points north. If there is a current in the wire, the compass needle
rotates until it becomes perpendicular to the wire. If the current in the wire is reversed, the
compass needle rotates in the opposite direction.

Thanks to a combination of luck, and an open and alert mind, Oersted had
discovered the basic principle of electromagnetism:
Whenever electrons move through a conductor, a magnetic field is
created in the region around the conductor.

The deflection of the compass needle proves the existence of a magnetic field
around a current-carrying wire. How does this magnetic field look like? An electric
current flowing through a straight wire produces a magnetic field around it. The
direction of the magnetic field depends on the direction of the current. For a current
flowing along a single length of wire, the direction of the magnetic field that it creates

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can be determined using the right-hand rule. Imagine you are holding a piece of wire
where your thumb is pointing to the direction of the current. The other fingers that coil
around the wire give the direction of the magnetic field.

(A) (B)
Figure 5: (A) The right-hand rule; (B)The magnetic field due to a straight current
current-carrying wire.

The strength of the magnetic field around a current-carrying wire depends on

the magnitude of the current in the wire and the radial distance from the wire. As the
current increases, the strength of the magnetic field also increases. Near the wire,
magnetic field is stronger. As the distance from the wire increases, the magnetic field
weakens.

If a long straight wire is wound into a coil, the resulting cylindrical arrangement
of loops is called a solenoid. When current is passed through a solenoid, the magnetic
field produced is like that of a bar magnet. This type of magnet is called an
electromagnet.

The N-pole of an electromagnet and the direction of the magnetic field can be
determined. Grasp the insulated coil with your right hand, curling your fingers in the
direction of the current passing through the coil. Your thumb will point in the direction
of the N-pole.

Each current-carrying loop adds its own magnetic field to those produced by
the others. Therefore, increasing the number of loops also increases the strength of
the magnetic field. Winding the loops around an iron bar or core will concentrate and
intensify the magnetic field even more. The strength of the magnetic field produced by
an electromagnet also depends on the current. As the current increases, the strength
of the magnetic field also increases.

The magnetic field pattern of a current loop is illustrated in the figure below.

Figure 6: The magnetic field due to a current loop

The magnetic field that a current-carrying wire could create can further be
increased by turning it into several loops called a solenoid.

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Induced Current

Hans Christian Oersted had discovered that electricity produces magnetism.

Michael Faraday sought to find out how magnetism could produce electricity. He tried
so many experiments until he discovered that he could generate an electric current by
moving a wire through a magnetic field. The process of generating a current by this
method is called electromagnetic induction.

The principle of electromagnetic induction states that when a magnetic field and
a closed conductor are moving relative to each other, a current is induced in the
conductor. This means that the conductor can move while the magnetic field is steady;
or the conductor is steady while the conductor moves, or both can be moving at the
same time.

Figure 7: Principle of Electromagnetic Induction

If a wire that is part of a closed circuit moves upward perpendicular to the

magnetic field, the induced current flows in one direction. If the wire moves downward
perpendicular to the magnetic field, the induced current flows in the opposite direction.
No current is induced if the wire is steady or moves parallel to the magnetic field. A
current is induced only if the conductor cuts across magnetic field lines.

The magnitude of the induced current is determined by the speed at which the
conductor or magnetic field moves. The faster the movement of the wire perpendicular
to the magnetic field, the greater is the magnitude of the induced current. The induced
current is due to an electromotive force or EMF expressed in volts.

The direction of the induced current can be determined. Point your fingers in
the direction of the magnetic field (N to S) while sticking out your thumb in the direction
of the movement

Figure 8: Third right-hand rule for finding the

direction of the induced current.

Electric Motor and Generator

Motors and generators are similar devices which are constructed of the same
basic parts: a coil of wire wound around an iron core that is free to rotate inside a
magnetic field. This coil of wire is called the armature.

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 By harnessing an external force to produce an electric current, a generator can
convert mechanical energy to electrical energy. The motor does the exact opposite. It
converts electrical energy to mechanical energy. Motors are used in many devices
such as battery-operated toy cars and electric fans.

Figure 9: If an outside force is used to turn the coil Figure 10: If a current is made to pass through
of wire around the magnetic field, a current is the coil of wire, a magnetic field is produced
induced in the wire which can be harnessed to light around the coil. This magnetic field interacts with
a bulb. This is how a generator works. the larger magnetic field, producing repulsion.
This repulsive motion can be harnessed or
modified to turn a shaft attached to a fan blade.
This is how a motor works.

Parts of a DC Motor
For a motor to work, it must have the
following parts:

1. An armature. It is a continuous coil of

wire that carries current to and from a DC
power supply. The armature can also be
called the rotor if it is the part that is rotating.

2. A permanent magnet. The armature

spins in the magnetic field set up by the
magnet.

3. A commutator. It is a pair of semicircular

metallic contacts that attach to the ends of
Figure 11: Parts of a DC Motor the wire loop. A commutator connects the
armature to the brushes, allowing it to turn
freely.

4. Brushes. These are metallic contacts that stay fixed; that is, they do not turn even
as the armature is turning. They connect the armature to the battery so that a current
is maintained in the coil.
5. A power supply. For a DC motor, the power supply must be a battery. This
maintains a steady flow of current in one direction.

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 Figure 12: The working principle of a DC Motor.

Generator

A generator does the opposite of a motor. But the parts are the same. Just like
a motor, a generator must have:
1. An external magnetic field source. We talk in terms of permanent magnets but in
practice, electromagnets are used too.
2. An armature or rotor. This is the coil or coils of wire wrapped around a soft iron
core. (We talk about a rotating coil of wire but in real generators, the armature may be
stationary; what rotates is the magnet.)
3. A means of rotating the coil. The coil must be attached to an axle providing an
axis of rotation. The axle is then attached to some form of crank that can be rotated
mechanically. This may be a hand-crank or a rotating paddle or turbine.
4. Slip rings that are attached to the ends of the coiled wire.
5. Brushes that connect the coil to the power supply, keeping the coil rotating.

Figure 13: Working Principle of a simple generator

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 Assessment

Multiple Choices:
Directions: Read each item carefully. Write only the letter of the correct answer for
each question. Use a separate sheet for your answers.
1. Who discovered the principle of electromagnetic induction?
a. Einstein c. Lenz
b. Faraday d. Oersted
2. Who discovered that a magnetic field exists around a current-carrying conductor?
a. Einstein c. Lenz
b. Faraday d. Oersted
3. Electric motors are devices that convert _____ energy into_____ energy.
a. chemical; potential c. mechanical; electrical
b. electrical; mechanical d. mechanical; kinetic
4. Which statement best explains the flow of energy through a motor?
a. battery→electrical current→copper wire rotor→magnet→mechanical energy
b. battery→ magnet→ electrical current→ copper wire rotor→ mechanical energy
c. magnet→ mechanical energy→ copper wire rotor→ battery→ electrical current
d. magnet→ copper wire rotor → mechanical energy→ battery→electrical current
5. Which part of a circuit allows electrical current to flow between the battery and
light bulb?
a. conductor c. power source
b. load d. resistor
6. Which of these can apply a force without touching an object?
a. generator c. magnetic field
b. motor d. turbine
7. A coil of wire that has a soft iron core and that acts as a magnet when an electric
current is in the coil is call a(n)
a. Electromagnet c. Permanent magnet
b. Ferromagnet d. Temporary magnet
8. This is a picture of a simple electromagnet. How can the electromagnet be made
stronger?
a. Add more coils of wire to the nail.
b. Remove all the coils and the nail.
c. Reverse the poles of the magnet.
d. Use a smaller battery.

9. Ms. J's students are complaining that it is hot in the classroom. She plugs in the
fan and turns it on. Which energy transformation occurs?
a. chemical to mechanical c. electromagnetic to mechanical
b. electrical to mechanical d. mechanical to electrical
10. Which of the following is spun due to the interactions between the magnetic
fields?
a. power supply c. commutator
b. field magnet d. armature

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Answer Key

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