FORCE ON A CURRENT CARRYING CONDUCTOR

The current carrying wire has magnetic field around

it. If we place the current carrying wire into a
magnetic field, the two magnetic fields may interact,
and produce a force on the wire. This can be shown by
the experiment set up below.
§ When a current is passed through the wire, the wire
moves upward. A force is acting on the wire segment
inside the magnetic field.
§ When the direction of current is reversed, the wire
move downward.
§ When there is a change of direction of the magnetic
field, the force acting on a wire also changes.
§ When the current and magnetic field strength are
increase, the wire experience a large force. The force
acting on the wire is therefore proportional to
current and magnetic field strength.
§ The direction of force can be determine by Fleming’s
Left Hand Rule.
Place the Forefinger, seCond finger and thuMb of the
left hand mutually at right angles. Then , if the forefinger
points in the direction of the Field and second finger in
the direction of Current, the thumb will point in the
direction of the force or Motion.
 FORCE ON A BEAM OF CHARGED PARTICLES
When a beam of moving charged particles enters a
magnetic field, there is a force acting on the charged
particles. They are deflected inside the magnetic field.
Fleming’s Left Hand Rule can be applied to determine
the direction of deflection of the beam of charged
particles.

A beam of positively charged particles

§ Direction of current is same as direction of
movement of the charged particles
§ If beam of positive charged particles enters
magnetic field into the paper, the charged particles
move towards the top of the paper as shown below.
§ When the direction of magnetic field changes the force
acting on a charge particle also changes.

§ If the positive charge particle enters the magnetic field out

of the page, the charged particles move towards the
bottom of the page. So by using Fleming’s Left Hand rule
we can find the direction of force that acts on the charged
particle.
A beam of negatively charged particles (electrons)
Current is in an opposite direction to that of the flow
of negative charges.
If a beam of negatively charged particles enters a
magnetic field into the paper, the charged particles
move towards the bottom of the paper as shown
below.
§ When the direction of magnetic field changes the
direction of the force acting on a charged particles
also changes.

§ If the negatively charged particle enters a magnetic

field out of the page, the charged particles move
towards top of the page. So by using Fleming’s Left
Hand rule we can find the direction of the force
acting on a charged particle.
 MAGNETIC FIELDS BETWEEN PARRALEL
CURRENT CARRYING CONDUCTORS
When two parallel wires carrying current in the same
direction, both wires move towards each other and
magnetic field pattern is shown below.
When two parallel wires carrying current in an
opposite direction, both wires move away from each
other and magnetic field pattern is shown below.
D.C MOTOR
A simple direct current electric motor consists of a coil (ABCD)
connected to two split-ring commutators (X and Y), two
permanent magnets and two carbon brushes (P and Q)
connected to an external battery. The commutators rotate with
the coil. Two carbon brushes are made to press lightly against
the commutators so that current can pass through when they
are in contact.
Ø When current flows from A to D through the coil,
the side CD experiences an upward force and the
side AB experiences a downward force. These forces
produce a turning effect and cause the coil to rotate
in a clockwise direction.
Ø When the coil rotates 90° and reaches the vertical
position, the contact between the carbon brushes (P
and Q) and the commutators (X and Y) are broken.
No current flows through the coil. Because of its
inertia, the coil keeps rotating until the
commutators are in contact with the carbon
brushes again.
Ø The current along the sides AB and CD is reversed.
The side AB experiences an upward force and the
side CD experiences a downward force. These two
forces produce a clockwise moment. Hence the coil
continues to rotate in a clockwise direction.
vThe purpose of the split-ring commutators is to
reverse the direction of current in the coil whenever
the commutators change contact from one carbon
brush to another. This ensures that the coil will
rotate in a fixed direction.

vFour ways to increase the rotating speed of a motor:

(i) increasing the current,
(ii) increasing the number of turns of the coil,
(iii) increasing the strength of the magnetic field,
(iv) increasing the area of the coil
Electromagnetic induction is the production of an e.m.f
(voltage) in a conductor when there is a change in magnetic
flux linked with the conductor.
When a wire is moved across a magnetic field, as shown below,
a small e.m.f. (voltage) is generated in the wire. If the wire
forms part of a complete circuit, the e.m.f. makes a current
flow. This can be detect by using a sensitive meter called
galvanometer.
• When the direction of movement of the wire changes, the
direction of the induced current also changes.

• If the wire moves downward, the direction of current carried

is shown below and the deflection of galvanometer needle is
also in the same direction; that is to the right.
• If the wire moves upward, the direction of the
current induced is as shown below and the
deflection of galvanometer needle is to the
left.
The direction of the induced current in the straight wire can be
determined by using Flemings Right Hand Rule.

Ø If the magnetic field direction changes the current direction

also changes.
Ø If the wire is at rest in the magnetic field, no e.m.f is
induced.
The factors effecting magnitude of induced e.m.f
The induced e.m.f. (and current) can be increased by:
• moving the wire faster
• using a stronger magnet
• increasing the length of wire in magnet in the magnetic field
– for example, by looping the wire through the field several
times as shown below.
The direction of induced current can be determined by Lenz’s
law.
An induced current always flow in a direction such that its
magnetic field opposes the change which is producing it.
Example 1
The N-pole of magnet is moving towards the solenoid as shown
in the diagram below.

The change that induces current is the N-pole moving towards the solenoid.
According to Lenz’s Law, the direction of induced current opposes the
change producing it. To oppose the N-pole moving to the coil, the induced
current must produced a N-pole at the end X. Hence the direction of
induced current is as shown.
Example 2
The N-pole of magnet is moving away from the solenoid as shown in
the diagram below.

The change that induces the current is the N-pole moving out of the solenoid.
According to Lenz’s Law, the direction of induced current opposes the change
producing it. To oppose the N-pole moving out of the coil, the induced current
must produce a S-pole at the end X. Hence the direction of induced current is
as shown above.
A simple a.c. generator consists of a coil rotating about an axis
between the poles of a permanent magnet as shown below.

* When the coil rotates, it cuts magnetic field lines, so an e.m.f. is

induced. This makes a current flow through the coil.

* As the coil rotates, each side travels, upward and down ward
continuously through the magnetic field. So the current flows backward
and forward continuously and an a.c. current is produced.
• The direction of induced current changes every half rotation of the coil
and this can be determined by using Fleming’s Right Hand Rule.

• The ends of the coils are connected to a pair of slip rings. The slip rigs
rotate with the coil and are in close contact with two carbon brushes
which rub against the slip rings and keep the coil connected to the out
side part of the circuit.

• The induced current is maximum when the plane of the coil is parallel to
the magnetic field. There is no induced current when the plane of the coil
is perpendicular to the magnetic field.

• The induced current can be increased;

ü using the coil with more turns
ü using stronger magnet
ü rotating the coil faster
Transformer is a device used to increase or decrease the
voltage of an a.c. supply.
The transformers only worked with alternative current (a.c.).
The diagram below shows how transformer works.

It makes use of electromagnetic induction.

Ø When the primary coil has alternating current flowing
through it. It is thus an electromagnet, and produces an
alternating magnetic field.
The ratio of number of turns tells us the factors by which the
voltage will be changed. Hence we can write an equation, known
as transformer equation, relating two voltages Vp and Vs, to the
number of turns on each coil, Np and Ns.
• If a transformer is 100% efficient,

𝑽𝒑 𝑰𝒑=𝑽𝑺 𝑰𝑺
Advantages of high voltage transmission
From the power station, the electricity is transmitted at high
voltage, using step up transformer as shown below. This is
because using higher voltage for power transmission reduces
power loss in the transmission cables(loses in the resistance of
the cables).