ALAIN JUNIORS SCHOOL 2024-25

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE
Chapter 13 - Magnetic Effects of Electric
Current
● Introduction: - A magnet is a material that can attract metals such as iron,
nickel, cobalt, and steel. There are two poles to a magnet: north and south. -
When liberated, the two poles pursue the earth's north and south poles. Each
component becomes a magnet when broken into parts.
● Magnetic Field: - A magnetic field is the area around a magnet where its
influence can be felt by any other magnetic element. - The magnetic field is
measured in Tesla or Weber/m2 units. - Lines of Magnetic Fields - Externally,
magnetic field lines exit the north pole of a magnet and enter the South Pole,
forming closed loops. - At the poles, where the magnetic field strength is
greatest, magnetic field lines are nearest. There are no magnetic field lines that
cross one other. - The tangent at a place indicates the direction of the magnetic
field at that point.
● Natural Magnet: - Magnetite or Lodestone ( Fe3 O 4 ), a naturally occurring
black iron ore, is a natural magnet.
Oersted’s Experiment:

ACTIVITY: Take a straight thick copper wire

and place it between the points X and Y in an
electric circuit, as shown in Figure.
􀂄 Place a small compass near to this copper
wire. See the position of its needle.
􀂄 Pass the current through the circuit by
inserting the key into the plug.
􀂄 Observe the change in the position of the compass needle.
OBSERVATION: the electric current through the copper wire has produced a
magnetic
effect. Thus, we can say that electricity and magnetism are linked to each other.
● Magnet in a Magnetic Field: - When a
magnet is placed in a magnetic field, it aligns
itself along the field lines with the North Pole
facing the magnetic field's direction of travel.
- Due to the contents of the earth, a
magnetic field exists on its surface, causing
it to behave like a magnet. As a result, a magnetic needle is employed to
determine the direction on the earth's surface.

ACTIVITY 2: Fix a sheet of white paper on a drawing board using some adhesive
material.
􀂄 Place a bar magnet in the centre of it.
􀂄 Sprinkle some iron filings uniformly
around the bar magnet. A salt-sprinkler may be used for this purpose.
􀂄 Now tap the board gently.
OBSERVATION: The iron filings arrange themselves in a pattern.

CONCLUSION: The magnet exerts its influence

in the region surrounding it. Therefore the iron
filings experience a force. The force thus exerted
makes iron filings to arrange in a pattern. The
region surrounding a magnet, in which the force
of the magnet can be detected, is said to have a
magnetic field. The lines along which the iron
filings align themselves represent magnetic field
lines.
PROPERTIES OF MAGNETIC FIELD LINES:
Magnetic field is a quantity that has both direction and magnitude.
The direction of the magnetic field is taken to be the direction in which a north
pole of the compass needle moves inside it. Therefore, it is taken by convention
that the field lines emerge from north pole and merge at the south pole.
Inside the magnet, the direction of field lines is from its south pole to its north
pole. Thus, the magnetic field lines are closed curves.
The relative strength of the magnetic field is shown by the degree of closeness
of the field lines. The field is stronger, that is, the force acting on the pole of
another magnet placed is greater where the field lines are crowded.
No two field-lines are found to cross each other. If they did, it would mean that at
the point of intersection, the compass needle would point towards two
directions, which is not possible.
Magnetic Field around a Current Carrying Straight Conductor:
ACTIVITY 3: Take a battery (12 V), a variable resistance (or a rheostat), an
ammeter (0–5 A), a plug key, and a long
straight thick copper wire.
 Insert the thick wire through the centre,
normal to the plane of a rectangular
cardboard. Take care that the cardboard
is fixed and does not slide up or down.
  Connect the copper wire vertically between the points X and Y, as shown
in Fig., in series with the battery, a plug and key.
 Sprinkle some iron filings uniformly on the cardboard.
 Keep the variable of the rheostat at a fixed position and note the current
through the
 ammeter.
 Close the key so that a current flows through the wire. Ensure that the
copper wire placed between the points X and Y remains vertically straight.
 Gently tap the cardboard a few times. Observe the pattern of the iron
filings.
OBSERVATION: the iron filings align themselves showing a pattern of
concentric circles around the copper wire. These concentric circles represent
the magnetic field lines. The direction of the north pole of the compass
needle would give the direction of the field lines produced by the electric
current through the straight wire at point P. Varying the current in the wire,
the deflection in the needle also changes. If the current is increased, the
deflection also increases. It indicates that the magnitude of the magnetic
field produced at a given point increases as the current through the wire
increases.
CONCLUSION: the magnetic field produced by a given current in the
conductor decreases as the distance from it increases. It can be noticed that
the concentric circles representing the magnetic field
around a current-carrying straight wire become larger
and larger as we move away from it.
Right-Hand Thumb Rule: Hold the current carrying
straight conductor in your right hand such that the
thumb points towards the direction of current. Then your
fingers will wrap around the conductor in the direction of
the field lines of the magnetic field, as shown. This is known as the right-hand
thumb rule.

Magnetic Field due to a Current through a Circular Loop:

ACTIVITY 4: Take a rectangular cardboard having two holes.
Insert a circular coil having large number of turns
through them, normal to the plane of the cardboard.
􀂄 Connect the ends of the coil in series with a
battery, a key and a rheostat.
􀂄 Sprinkle iron filings uniformly on the cardboard.
Plug the key and tap the cardboard gently a few times.
OBSERVATION: at every point of a current-carrying
circular loop, the concentric circles representing the
magnetic field around it would become larger and larger
as we move away from the wire. At the centre of the
circular loop, the arcs of these big circles would appear
as straight lines. Every point on the wire carrying current would give rise to the
magnetic field appearing as straight lines at the center of the loop. By applying
the right-hand rule, it is easy to check that every section of the wire contributes
to the magnetic field lines in the same direction within the loop.
CONCLUSION: the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying wire at a
given point depends directly on the current passing through it. Therefore, if
there is a circular coil having n turns, the field produced is n times as large as
that produced by a single turn. This is because the current in each circular turn
has the same direction, and the field due to each turn then just adds up.
Magnetic Field due to a Current in a Solenoid:
A coil of many circular turns of insulated copper wire
wrapped closely in the shape of a cylinder is called a
solenoid. One end of the solenoid behaves as a magnetic
north pole, while the other behaves as the south pole. The
field lines inside the solenoid are in the form of parallel
straight lines. This indicates that the magnetic field is the
same at all points inside the solenoid. That is, the field is
uniform inside the solenoid.
A strong magnetic field produced inside a solenoid can be
used to magnetise a piece of magnetic material, like soft
iron, when placed inside the coil. The magnet so formed is
called an electromagnet.

FORCE ON A CURRENT-CARRYING CONDUCTOR IN A MAGNETIC FIELD

ACTIVITY 5:
Take a small aluminium rod AB (of about 5 cm). Using two connecting wires
suspend it horizontally from a stand.
􀂄 Place a strong horse-shoe magnet in such a way that
the rod lies between the two poles with the magnetic field
directed upwards.
􀂄 Connect the aluminium rod in series with a battery, a
key and a rheostat.
􀂄 Now pass a current through the aluminium rod from end
B to end A.
OBSERVATION: It is observed that the rod is displaced towards the left.
􀂄 Reverse the direction of current flowing through the rod and observe the
direction of its displacement. It is now towards the right.
CONCLUSION: The displacement of the rod suggests that a force is exerted on
the current-carrying aluminium rod when it is placed in a magnetic field. It also
suggests that the direction of force is also reversed when the direction of current
through the conductor is reversed. The direction of the force on the conductor
depends upon the direction of current and the direction of the magnetic field.
The displacement of the rod is largest (or the magnitude of the force is the
highest) when the direction of current is at right angles to the direction of the
magnetic field.
Fleming’s left-hand rule:
The direction of the current and that of the magnetic field perpendicular to each
other and found that the force is perpendicular to both of them. The three
directions can be illustrated through a simple rule, called Fleming’s left-hand
rule.
According to this rule, stretch the thumb,
forefinger and middle finger of your left
hand such that they are mutually
perpendicular. If the first finger points in
the direction of magnetic field and the
second finger in the direction of current,
then the thumb will point in the direction of motion or the force acting on the
conductor.
DOMESTIC ELECTRIC CIRCUITS:
In our homes, we receive supply of electric power through a main supply (also
called mains), either supported through overhead electric poles or by
underground cables. One of the wires in this supply, usually with red insulation
cover, is called live wire (or positive). Another wire, with black insulation, is
called neutral wire (or negative). In our country, the potential difference between
the two is 220 V.
AC and DC circuits: Direct current (DC) occurs when the current flows in one
constant direction. It usually comes from batteries, solar cells, or from AC/DC
converters. DC is the preferred type of power for electronic devices. Alternating
current (AC) occurs when the electric current periodically inverts its direction.

Often, two separate circuits are used, one of 15 A current rating for appliances
with higher power ratings such as geysers, air coolers, etc. The other circuit is of
5 A current rating for bulbs, fans, etc. The earth wire, which has insulation of
green colour, is usually connected to a metal plate deep in the earth near the
house. This is used as a safety measure, especially for those appliances that
have a metallic body, for example, electric press, toaster, table fan, refrigerator,
etc. The metallic body is connected to the earth wire, which provides a low
resistance conducting path for the current. Thus, it ensures that any leakage of
current to the metallic body of the appliance keeps its potential to that of the
earth, and the user may not get a severe electric shock.

In order that each appliance has equal potential difference, they are connected
parallel to each other.
Electric fuse is an important component of all domestic circuits. A fuse in a
circuit prevents damage to the appliances and the circuit due to overloading.
Overloading can occur when the live wire and the neutral wire come into direct
contact. (This occurs when the insulation of wires is damaged or there is a fault
in the appliance.) In such a situation, the current in the circuit abruptly
increases. This is called short-circuiting. The use of an electric fuse prevents the
electric circuit and the appliance from a possible damage by stopping the flow of
unduly high electric current. The Joule heating that takes place in the fuse melts
it to break the electric circuit. Overloading can also occur due to an accidental
hike in the supply voltage. Sometimes overloading is caused by connecting too
many appliances to a single socket.