Electromagnetic Induction
Materials: ★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
Categories: Electricity, Magnetism
Alternative titles: Faraday’s Law – Classic Induction Demo
Summary
A bar magnet moved through a solenoid induces a voltage, detected by an electrometer. This demonstrates Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, showing how changing magnetic flux generates an electromotive force (emf).
Procedure
- Connect a solenoid in parallel to an electrometer.
- Insert the bar magnet into the solenoid and then remove it quickly.
- Observe the electrometer as the needle or digital readout changes, showing an induced voltage.
- Repeat with different speeds: move the magnet slowly to produce a weak emf, and more quickly to produce a stronger emf.
- Reverse the magnet’s pole and note the opposite direction of the induced voltage.
Links
Electromagnetic induction - ibPhysicsHelp:
Demonstration of Electromagnetic Induction - IGCSE Physics - Chris Gozzard (That Physics Guy):
📄 Faraday’s Law – Electromagnetic Induction - UCSC Physics Demonstration Room: https://ucscphysicsdemo.sites.ucsc.edu/physics-5c6c-demos/electromagnetism/faradays-law-electromagnetic-induction/
Variations
- Compare results using a weak bar magnet versus a strong neodymium magnet.
- Change the angle of the magnet’s motion relative to the solenoid axis.
- Use solenoids with different numbers of coils to show how more loops increase the induced emf.
Safety Precautions
- Handle magnets carefully to avoid pinching fingers or damaging equipment.
- Do not connect the solenoid directly to a power source in this setup.
- Use proper supports to prevent the solenoid or stand from tipping over.
Questions to Consider
- Why does moving the magnet quickly produce a stronger induced voltage? (Faster motion causes a faster change in magnetic flux, producing a larger emf.)
- What determines the direction of the induced voltage? (Lenz’s law states that the induced emf opposes the change in magnetic flux.)
- Why is no emf induced when the magnet is held still in the solenoid? (There is no change in magnetic flux, so no induction occurs.)
- How does increasing the number of coils affect the induced emf? (More coils increase the total flux linkage, producing a stronger induced voltage.)