INDIAN SCHOOL AL GHUBRA

CLASS: X

SUBJECT: Physics

Date : 20/09/2021 Ch : 13 MAGNETIC EFFECT OF ELECTRIC CURRENT

Magnet is any substance that attracts iron or iron-like substances.

Properties of Magnet (i) Every magnet has two poles i.e., North and South. (ii) Like
poles repel each other. (iii)Unlike poles attract each other. (iv) A freely suspended bar
magnet aligns itself in nearly north-south direction, with its north pole towards north
direction.

Magnetic Field : The region surrounding a magnet, in which the force of the magnet
can be detected, is said to have a magnetic field, in other words, Magnetic field is the
area around a magnet in which its magnetic force can be experienced. Its SI unit is
Tesla (T).

Magnetic Effect of Electric current : A compass needle is deflected on passing an

electric current through a metallic conductor indicating that when a current flows
through a metallic conductor, it produces a magnetic field around the metallic
conductor. This is called magnetic effect of electric current.

A compass needle is a small bar magnet. The ends of the compass needle point
approximately towards north and south directions. The end pointing towards north is
called north seeking or north pole. The other end that points towards south is called
south seeking or south pole.
Question : Why does a compass needle get deflected when brought near a bar magnet?
Answer: A compass needle is itself a tiny pivoted magnet and experiences a force exerted
by a magnetic field set up due to a bar magnet. Due to this magnetic force, needle gets
deflected when brought near a bar magnet.

Magnetic field lines : Field lines are used to represent a magnetic field.
A field line is the path along which a hypothetical free north pole would tend to
move.
The direction of the magnetic field at a point is given by the direction that a north pole
placed at that point would take.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Explain an activity to draw the magnetic field lines around a bar magnet .
 Fix a sheet of paper to a smooth table. Place a bar magnet in the middle of the sheet
and draw its boundary.
 Place a compass needle near the north pole of the magnet and mark the position of
north and south pole of the compass needle on the sheet of paper.
 Repeat this process till we reach near the south pole of the magnet. Join the points
marked on the paper by a smooth curve. This curve represents a field line.
 Repeat the above procedure and draw as many lines as you can. You will get a
pattern. These lines represent the magnetic field around the magnet and are known
as 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.
 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. So, 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. Field lines are shown closer together where the magnetic field is greater.
(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.

Question Why don’t magnetic lines of force intersect each other?

Answer: No two field-lines are found to cross each other. If they did, it would mean that
at the point of intersection, there would be two directions of magnetic field (i.e., the
compass needle would point towards two directions), which is not possible.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Magnetic field due to a current - carrying conductor

Activity to demonstrate the magnetic field due to a current - carrying conductor

 Take a long straight copper

wire, two or three cells of 1.5 v
each, and a plug key. connect
all of them in series as shown
in fig(a).
 Place the straight wire parallel
to and over a compass needle
and plug the key in the circuit.
 Observe the direction of deflection of the north pole of the needle. If the current flows from
north to south, as shown in fig.(a), the north pole of the compass needle would move
towards the east.
 Replace the cell connections in the circuit as shown in fig.(b). This would result in the
change of the direction of current through the copper wire, that is, from south to north.
 Observe the change in the direction of deflection of the needle. You will see that now the
needle moves in opposite direction, that is, towards the west [fig.(b)]. It means that the
direction of magnetic field produced by the electric current is also reversed.

Observations : (1) A current carrying conductor produces a magnetic field. ( 2 ) The deflection
in the needle becomes opposite when the direction of the current is reversed.

Note : The pattern of the magnetic field around a conductor due to an electric current
flowing through it depends on the shape of the conductor.

Magnetic Field due to a Current through a Straight Conductor

Activity to demonstrate the magnetic field due to a current through a straight

conductor

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.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
  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.

 It is observed that
- the iron filings align themselves showing a pattern of concentric circles
around the copper wire. These concentric circles represent the magnetic field
lines.
- the concentric circles representing the magnetic field around a current
carrying straight wire becomes larger and larger as we move away from it
indicating that the strength of magnetic field produced at a given point
decreases as the distance of the point from the current carrying conductor
increases.
 To find the direction of the magnetic field, place a compass at a point (say P) over
a circle. Observe the direction of the needle. 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. Show the direction by an arrow.
 It is observed that
- the direction of magnetic field lines get reversed if the direction of current
through the straight copper wire is reversed
- if the current in the circuit is increased, the deflection of the needle also
increases indicating that magnitude of the magnetic field increases as the
current through the wire increases.

Rules for determining the direction of magnetic field

Right-Hand Thumb Rule: If a current-carrying straight conductor is imagined to

be held 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.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Maxwell’s corkscrew rule: If we consider ourselves driving a corkscrew in the
direction of the current, then the direction of the corkscrew is the direction of the
magnetic field.

Magnetic Field due to a Current through a Circular Loop

Activity to study the magnetic field due to a current through a circular loop

 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, as shown in Fig.
 Sprinkle iron filings uniformly on
the cardboard.
 Plug the key. Tap the cardboard
gently a few times.
 It is observed that the iron filings arrange themselves in a definite pattern
representing the magnetic field lines due to the current – carrying loop.
 Place a compass on the cardboard to map the magnetic lines of force produced by
the coil. By applying the right-hand thumb rule ot each section, it is found that the
concentric lines of force pass around the coil in the same direction.

Properties of magnetic lines of force due to current in a circular coil.

 The magnetic field lines are nearly

circular near the wire.
 The lines of force are in the same
direction.
 Near the centre of the loop, the
magnetic field lines are nearly
parallel an straight and magnetic
field may be assumed to be
practically uniform.
 At the centre of the coil, the plane of
magnetic lines of force is
perpendicular to the plane of the
circular coil.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
  The strength of the magnetic field produced by a current – carrying circular coil
increases
 if the strength of the current in the coil is increased.
 if the number of turns in the coil is increased.
 if the radius of the circular coil is decreased.
Question : AB is a current-carrying conductor in the plane of the paper as shown in
figure. What are the directions of magnetic fields produced by it at points P and Q?
Given r1>r2, where will the strength of the magnetic field be larger?

Answer: Magnetic field at P is into the plane of paper and at Q it is out of the plane of
plane of paper. The strength of the magnetic field at Q will be larger as strength of the
field is inversely proportional to r.

Magnetic Field due to a Current in a Solenoid

Solenoid : A coil of many circular turns of insulated copper wire wrapped closely in the
shape of a cylinder is called a solenoid.

Properties of magnetic lines of force due to current in a solenoid.

 A solenoid carrying current behaves like a bar magnet as its two ends act as two
poles of a magnet.
 a freely suspended current carrying solenoid comes to rest in the north – south
direction just like a bar magnet.
 one end of the solenoid behaves as a magnetic north pole, while the other behaves as
the south pole.
 the pattern of magnetic lines of force of a current – carrying solenoid is similar to
that of a bar magnet ( i.e. it originates from north pole and terminates at south pole).
 The field lines inside the solenoid are in the
form of parallel straight lines. This the field
is uniform inside the solenoid.
 The intensity of magnetic field produced by
a current – carrying solenoid depends on
 number of turns in the coil
 strength of the current
 nature of the core material.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Electromagnet

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.

An electromagnet consists of a core of soft iron wrapped around with a coil of insulated
copper wire.

Advantages of an electromagnet

 An electromagnet shows temporary magnetism. It produces the magnetic field as

long as the current flows in the coil.
 An electromagnet gets demagnetised as soon as the current is switched off.
 The strength of the magnetic field of an electromagnet can be easily changed by
changing the strength of the current in the coil or the number of turns in the
solenoid.
 The polarity of an electromagnet can be changed by reversing the direction of
current in the solenoid.

Uses of electromagnets

- Electromagnets are used in the construction of large number of electrical devices

like electric bells, loud speakers, electric motors, electric fans , telephone
instruments etc.
- Electromagnets are used to lift and transport heavy loads.

Force on a Current Carrying Conductor in a Magnetic Field

An electric current flowing through a conductor produces a magnetic field. The field so
produced exerts a force on a magnet placed in the vicinity of the conductor. The magnet
also exerts an equal and opposite force on the current-carrying conductor. So, a current-
carrying conductor when placed in a magnetic field experiences a force.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Activity to demonstrate the force due to a magnetic field acting on a current-
carrying conductor
 Take a small aluminium rod AB (of about 5 cm). Using two connecting wires
suspend it horizontally from a stand, as shown in Fig.
 Place a strong horse-shoe magnet in
such a way that the rod lies between
the two poles with the magnetic field
directed upwards.
 For this put the north pole of the
magnet vertically below and south
pole vertically above the aluminium
rod.
 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.
It is observed that the rod is displaced
towards the left.
 Reverse the direction of current flowing through the rod from end A to end B. It
is observed that the direction of its displacement towards the right.
 Now change the direction of field to vertically downwards by interchanging the
two poles of the magnet. The direction of force acting on the current-carrying rod
gets reversed.

Conclusion:
The displacement of the rod suggests that a force is exerted on the current-carrying
conductor when it is placed in a 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.
- The direction of force on the current carrying conductor depends upon the
direction of the current and the magnetic field.
- The direction of force on the current carrying conductor is reversed ( i ) when the
direction of current through the conductor is reversed ( ii ) when the direction of
the magnetic field is reversed.

The direction of the force on the current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field
is given by Fleming’s left-hand rule.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
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.

Application : Devices that use current-carrying conductors and magnetic fields include
electric motor, electric generator, loudspeakers, microphones and measuring
instruments.

Electric Motor

An electric motor is a rotating device that converts electrical energy into mechanical
energy.

Principle : A current carrying conductor when placed in a magnetic field experiences a

force and moves in the direction governed by Fleming’s left hand rule.
Construction :
 An electric motor consists of a rectangular coil ABCD of insulated copper wire.
 The coil is placed between the two
poles of a magnetic field such that the
arm AB and CD are perpendicular to
the direction of the magnetic field.
 The ends of the coil are connected to
the two halves P and Q of the split
ring.
 The inner sides of the halves are
insulated and attached to an axle. The
external conducting edges of P and Q
touch two conducting stationary
brushes X and Y.
 The coil and the axle O are mounted
free to turn about an axis.

Working:
 Current in the coil ABCD enters from the source battery through conducting brush
X and flows back to the battery through brush Y.
 The current in arm AB of the coil flows from A to B. In arm CD it flows from C
to D, that is, opposite to the direction of current through arm AB.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
  On applying Fleming’s left hand rule, we find that the force acting on arm AB
pushes it downwards while the force acting on arm CD pushes it upwards.
 Thus the coil and the axle O, rotate anti-clockwise.
 At half rotation, Q makes contact with the brush X and P with brush Y. Therefore
the current in the coil gets reversed and flows along the path DCBA.
 The reversal of current also reverses the direction of force acting on the two arms
AB and CD. Thus the arm AB of the coil that was earlier pushed down is now
pushed up and the arm CD previously pushed up is now pushed down.
 The reversing of the current is repeated at each half rotation, giving rise to a
continuous rotation of the coil and to the axle.

Note :
 Commutator : It is a device that reverses the direction of flow of current
in the circuit in which it is connected.
 The split ring acts as a commutator in an electric ( DC) motor. The
function of the split rings (commutator ) is to change the direction of
electric current in the coil after every half revolution to keep the coil
turning and ensuring the continuation of the current.
 Armature : It is the rectangular coil which contains a large number of
turns of insulated copper wire wound on a soft iron core. This coil is free
rotate between the pole pieces of the magnet. When current passes through
the armature, due to magnetic field it experiences a force and rotates.

Applications :
Electric motor is used as an important component in electric fans, refrigerators,
mixers, washing machines, Vacuum cleaner etc.

Commercial motors
The commercial motors use ( i ) an electromagnet in place of permanent magnet ( ii )
large number of turns of the conducting wire in the current – carrying coil (iii) a soft
iron core on which the coil is wound. This enhances the power.

Electromagnetic induction

The phenomenon in which electric current is generated by varying magnetic fields

is called electromagnetic induction.

Note : A galvanometer is an instrument that can detect the

presence of a current in a circuit. The pointer remains at zero (the
centre of the scale) for zero current flowing through it. It can
deflect either to the left or to the right of the zero mark depending
on the direction of current.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Activity 1 :

The figure shows a coil C 1 connected to a galvanometer G.

Observations :
 When the North – pole of a bar magnet is pushed towards the coil, the pointer in the
galvanometer deflects, indicating the presence of electric current in the coil. The
deflection lasts as long as the bar magnet is in motion. The galvanometer does not
show any deflection when the magnet is held stationary.
 When the magnet is pulled away from the coil, the galvanometer shows deflection
in the opposite direction, which indicates reversal of current’s direction.
 When the South – pole of a bar magnet is pushed towards or away from the coil,
the deflections in the galvanometers are opposite to that observed with the North –
pole for similar movements.
 The deflection is found to be larger when the magnet is pushed towards or pulled
away from the coil faster.
 When the bar magnet is held fixed and the coil C 1 is moved towards or away from
the magnet, the same effects are observed.

Conclusion :It is the relative motion between the magnet and the coil that produces an
induced potential difference, which sets up an induced electric current in the coil.

Activity 2 :
In the figure, C 2 is the coil connected to a galvanometer G. Another coil C1 is
connected to a battery.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)
Observations :
 When the key is closed , current flows through coil 1 , the galvanometer connected
to coil 2, deflects momentarily in one direction.
 When the key is opened , the galvanometer connected to coil 2, deflects again
momentarily in opposite direction.
 When current is passed continuously through coil 1, no deflection is observed in the
galvanometer connected to coil 2

Conclusion :
A potential difference is induced in the coil 2 whenever the electric current through coil
1 changes.

Explanation:
Coil 1 is called the primary coil and Coil 2 is called the secondary coil. As the current
in the first coil changes, the magnetic field associated with it also changes. Thus the
magnetic field lines around the secondary coil also change.Hence the change in the
magnetic field lines associated with the secondary coil is the cause of induced electric
current in it.

This process by which a changing magnetic field in a conductor induces a current

in another conductor is called electromagnetic induction.

Note: We can induce current in a coil either by moving it in a magnetic field or by

changing the magnetic field around it. The induced current is found to be the highest
when the direction of motion of the coil is at right angles to the magnetic field.

The direction of the induced current is given by Fleming’s right hand rule :

Fleming’s right – hand rule :

Stretch the thumb, forefinger and the middle finger of right hand so that they are
perpendicular to each other. If the forefinger indicates the direction of the magnetic
field and the thumb shows the direction of motion of conductor, then the middle finger
will show the direction of induced current.

Indian School Al Ghubra / Dept. of Physics / Class_X_Magnetic Effect of Electric Current ( 2021-2022)