2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

• induction – when electric current causes magnetic fields and changing

22/23 P: Physics B (OH) - Electricity and Magnetism
magnetic fields cause electric current

Measurable Effects of Electromagnetism • magnetic flux – the number of magnetic field lines passing through a
surface

Objective and Key Words • stepping down – decreasing voltage in a transformer

• stepping up – increasing voltage in a transformer

• transformer – electrical devices that transfer electrical energy from one

circuit to another
Objective
In this section, you will investigate the relationship between an electric current and a
magnetic field. This will include describing the data to be collected, conducting the
investigation, and describing the evidence that will come from the data

Key Words
• electromagnetism – the interaction between magnetic fields and electric
currents

• Faraday’s law – law that states that the change in the amount of voltage
generated by a magnetic field is equal to the change in magnetic flux
divided by time

• Fleming’s left-hand rule – the positioning of the left hand to determine

the relative directions of the current, external magnetic field, and force
resulting from a current-carrying wire in an external magnetic field
(used for motors)

• Fleming’s right-hand rule – the positioning of the right hand to

determine the relative directions of the induced current, external
magnetic field, and force resulting from a wire in a changing magnetic
field (used for generators)
about:blank 1/24 about:blank 2/24
2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Measurable Effects of A magnetic object can pull closer or push away another magnetic object
depending on the orientation of their poles. A magnet produces a magnetic
Electromagnetism field. A magnetic field is commonly represented by magnetic flux lines that
run from the north pole and curve to enter the south pole.
Electric current consists of electrons moving through a conductor, like a metal
wire. The electrons move through the wire when enough voltage or
electromotive force produces imbalanced charges. 

This imbalance causes electrons to flow through the circuit from the negatively
charged region of the electric cell to the positively charged region. The
definition of work in physics is a force exerted over a distance. Therefore,
electromotive force, or voltage, is the work in a circuit because it moves a
charge across a distance. 
Magnetic flux lines are shown for a bar magnet.
The flow of electrons, which is responsible for the phenomenon of electric Source: HL Studios/Pearson Education Ltd

current, is also responsible for magnetism. You probably know that the
opposite poles of two magnets attract, while like poles of the magnets repel. If a current flows through a coil of wire, it will produce a magnetic field, just
like the bar magnet above.

The opposite relationship is also true: moving a magnet through a coil of wire
generates electric current. In the illustration below, the meter shows a current
flowing when the magnet—and its magnetic field—is moved through the coil
of wire.

Magnets either attract or repel, depending on how they are oriented.

Source: udaix/Shutterstock

about:blank 3/24 about:blank 4/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

A magnet is moved into a coil of wire so that the wire experiences a changing magnetic field. This
changing magnetic field causes current in the wire, as shown by the gauge. Measurable Effects of
Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd/Pearson Education Ltd
Electromagnetism
The phenomena of electric current causing magnetic fields and a changing
When a wire carrying a current is put inside an external magnetic field, as
magnetic field causing electric current are called induction.
shown in the image below, a force acts on the wire. The induced magnetic field
of the wire interacts with the external magnetic field, resulting in motion. This
Since magnetism is related to electron flow, magnetic fields influence the flow
phenomenon is the basis of the electric motor. In electric motors, the force
of electric current through a conductor. The interaction between electric current
generated by the interaction of electric and magnetic fields can be used to
and magnetic fields is called electromagnetism. 
perform work. For example, in an electric fan, the electromagnetic force
generated by the electric motor is used to spin the blades of the fan. Correct
If more turns of wire are added to a metal wire loop through which current
determination of the direction of the force produced is important in designing
flows, the magnetic field generated around the wire increases in strength. It is
the mechanism to spin the blades.
therefore possible to produce a desired magnetic field strength by adding or
reducing the number of turns of wire in the conducting wire loop.
The direction of the force acting on the wire can be determined using Fleming’s
left-hand rule for motors. 

The coil of wire on the bottom has more turns and, therefore, a stronger magnetic field.

about:blank 5/24 about:blank 6/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

right-hand rule can be used to determine the direction of flow for the current
produced. The first (pointer) finger is pointed in the direction of the external
magnetic field, and the thumb points in the direction of the force (motion). The
second (middle) finger points in the direction of the induced current.

The diagram illustrates Fleming’s left-hand rule for motors.

Source: HL Studios/Pearson Education Ltd

The diagram illustrates Fleming’s right-hand rule for generators.

When the second (middle) finger of the left hand is pointed in the direction of
Source: udaix/Shutterstock
the current flowing through the wire, the first (pointer) finger will point in the
direction of the magnetic field produced, and the thumb in the direction of the
Michael Faraday, an English physicist, studied the effect of a changing
force created by the interactions of the fields.
magnetic field on current. He noticed that the change in a magnetic field when
a wire is moved through it was related to the amount of current produced in
The above explanation of motors involves an electric current causing a
the wire. 
magnetic field. However, there is also the opposite induction: A changing
magnetic field causes an electric current. That phenomenon is the basis of
generators.

If a force is applied to a loop of wire to rotate it in an external magnetic field, a

current will be induced in the wire. As the wire moves, it experiences a
changing magnetic field, causing an electric current in the wire. Fleming’s
about:blank 7/24 about:blank 8/24
2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

This diagram shows different situations in which a wire is placed in a magnetic field.
Source: HL Studios/Pearson Education Ltd

Current flow is directly proportional to voltage. Faraday’s law states that the
voltage induced or created by a changing magnetic field equals the change in
magnetic field, or magnetic flux, divided by the change in time. 

In other words, the greater the change in the magnetic field per unit of time, the These are factors that affect the amount of current induced in the wire.
Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd/Pearson Education Ltd
more voltage is produced. The following image shows variations that cause
changes in the amount of voltage produced by electromagnetic induction.

about:blank 9/24 about:blank 10/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Check-In Practice
Recall what you learned about electromagnetism and induction. Answer the Recall what you learned about electromagnetism and induction. Answer the
following questions. following questions.

Question 1 Question 1
Explain how electric currents and magnetic fields relate to electromagnetic For the generator shown, describe a change you could make that would
induction. increase the induced current in the wire. Explain why the change would
increase the induced current. Think about Faraday’s law.

Answer

Question 2
Complete the activity. 

Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd/Pearson Education Ltd

Answer

Question 2
about:blank 11/24 about:blank 12/24
2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

If you were to carry out the change you outlined above to test your idea, what
data would you need to collect? What evidence would you need in order to
Measurable Effects of
determine if you were correct? Electromagnetism
Watch the video to learn about the effects of electromagnetism.
Answer

Question 3
Suppose that in a generator, the magnetic field is pointing north and the
direction of force is east. Which direction is the current flowing?

Video cannot be displayed on Print Preview

Answer

Measurable Effects of Electromagnetism Transcript

about:blank 13/24 about:blank 14/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Check-In Practice
Recall what you learned in the video. Answer the following questions. Recall what you learned in the video, and complete the questions below.

Question 1 Question 1
The ammeter showed a reading when the magnet was moved in and out of Suppose you were conducting an investigation about the relationship
the coil of wire. Why? between an electric current and a magnetic field, similar to the experiment in

the video in which the number of turns in the coil increased. What data would
Reveal Answer
Moving the magnet caused a changing magnetic field around the coil of wire, inducing a you need to collect and record?

current in the wire. That current was registered on the ammeter. Reveal Answer
Sample answer: I would be testing several different coils of wire, each one with an

increasing number of turns. So, I would need to collect and record data on the number of
Question 2 turns in the different coils and the current readings (from the ammeter) I get when I test

What happened to the current reading of the ammeter when the speed of the each coil.

magnet increased?

Reveal Answer
Question 2
The current increased when the speed of the magnet increased.
What trends would you expect in the data from your investigation? Why?

Reveal Answer
Question 3 Sample answer: As the number of turns increases, the higher the current readings are.

In the experiment, what happened to the current reading of the ammeter Increasing the number of turns in the coil means that more wire is in the changing magnetic

when the number of turns in the coil was increased? If you were to triple the field and more current is being induced in the wire. That would mean the ammeter would

number of coils in the loop, how would the current change? register a greater current reading.

Reveal Answer
The current increased as the number of turns in the coil increased. The increase was
proportional. If you triple the number of coils you triple the current.

about:blank 15/24 about:blank 16/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Measurable Effects of This is the basis on which transformers operate. transformers are electrical
devices that transfer electrical energy from one circuit to another. In a
Electromagnetism transformer, current passes through a coil that has been wrapped around a
magnetic core. Because that coil has an induced magnetic field, it changes the
Electromagnetism is the interaction between magnetic fields and electric magnetic field in the core. This changing magnetic field induces current in
currents. another coil wrapped around another section of the magnetic core.

A current is induced in a coil of wire by moving the coil relative to a magnet’s

magnetic field. When the movement of the magnet or the coils is increased,
there is an increase in the current and voltage in the wire (current and voltage
are directly related).

When a current is passed through a conducting coil of wire, a magnetic field is

induced.

The lines indicate an induced magnetic field around the wire, which has current flowing through it.
Source: GraphicsRF/Shutterstock In a transformer, the primary coil induces a current in the secondary coil.
Source: Ken Vail Graphic Design/Pearson Education Ltd

The strength of the induced magnetic field of the coil is determined by the
Transformers rely on varying the number of turns in the coil to change the
number of coils in the wire. The greater the number of coils, the stronger the
voltage in the conducting wire. The ratio of the voltage between the input and
magnetic field.
the output of the transformer is determined by the ratio of the number of turns
in the coils wrapped around the two sections of the core.
Moving the coil in a magnetic field to induce a current or allowing current to
flow in the coil to induce a magnetic field are known as induction.
If Np is the number of turns in the primary coil, Ns is the number of turns in
the secondary coil, Vp is the primary voltage, and Vs is the secondary voltage,
about:blank 17/24 about:blank 18/24
2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

then: If a transformer had a primary voltage of 200. 0 volts(V ) and it had 7 turns in
the primary coil and 30 turns in the secondary coil, the secondary voltage
Vp /Vs = Np /Ns
would be:
A transformer raises or lowers voltages and currents in electrical circuits.
Vp /Vs =Np /Ns
Increasing voltage is called stepping up, and decreasing the voltage is
Vp (Ns /Np )=Vs
called stepping down.
(200. 0V )(30/7)=857. 1V

A step-up transformer has more turns in the secondary coil than the primary Since Vs is greater than Vp , this would be a step-up transformer.
coil. The potential difference is greater in the secondary coil than the primary
coil; therefore, it has been stepped up.

A step-down transformer is the opposite: It has fewer turns in the secondary

coil, and the potential difference is less. So, the voltage in this transformer is
stepped down.

Source: DDCoral/Shutterstock

Voltages from large power plants are stepped up so that they can travel more
efficiently to locations where needed, like residential homes. If the voltage is
not stepped up, energy would be lost during the long distances that it must
often travel.

But before the voltage arrives at a residential home, it must be stepped down
repeatedly because it would be too dangerous to allow a high voltage to enter a
home. The voltage is stepped down at distribution substations using
transformers until it comes down to safe levels of 120 volts to run general
electronics and 220 volts to run more powerful home appliances.

Compare the step-up transformer with the step-down transformer. Transformers are very important in regulating voltage to safely and efficiently
Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd/Pearson Education Ltd
reach homes and provide power.
about:blank 19/24 about:blank 20/24
2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Check-In
Recall what you learned about transformers, and answer the questions below.

Question 1
Suppose that you need to build a step-down transformer to convert 120. 0V

to 5. 0V . How many turns would you put in the primary coil and how many

turns would you put the secondary coil?

Reveal Answer
Any choices for N and N that satisfy this equation will work. One possible choice is for
p s

there to be 48 turns in the primary coil and 2 turns in the secondary coil.

Question 2
Transformers gradually step down the very high voltage before it reaches homes, shops, and Why is voltage so high when it leaves a power plant, and why is it important
offices.
Source: Oxford Designers & Illustrators Ltd/Pearson Education Ltd to step it down before it enters a residence?

Reveal Answer
Voltage from a power plant is stepped up so that it does not lose too much energy as it

travels long distances from the power plant. It must be stepped down to a safe level of

120V or 220V before entering a residence.

about:blank 21/24 about:blank 22/24

2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA 2/23/23, 11:58 PM Vega Viewer SPA

Practice
Recall what you learned about using voltage and coil turn ratios for
transformers to answer the questions below.

Question 1
Sketch a diagram of a step-up transformer that has 5 turns in the primary coil
and that produces a voltage of 1000V from 200V . What would be the number
of turns needed in the secondary coil to successfully step up the voltage as
specified? Be sure to show your calculations.

Answer

Question 2
Suppose the primary coil in a transformer has 50 turns and the secondary coil
has 10 turns. If the voltage of the secondary coil is determined to be 250V ,
what was voltage of the primary coil? Show all of your work. What kind of
transformer is this?

Answer

about:blank 23/24 about:blank 24/24