Lorentz Force: Question on generators and storeage

[John20001]

Hello all, and thank you in advance for taking the time to read my question. To give an idea of my working level, I'm a 21 year old computer science student entering my senior year at college. It's been a few years since my Electricity/Magnetism course, and I'm a bit rusty on the Lorentz Force.
I wanted to create a sort of "Human Powered Generator", ie. something as simple as a stationary bicycle turning a generator as I peddle. Now I know the "right hand rule", and can quite easily make a motor/generator with some wire and magnets. My question is about voltage/current. I was never clear on the effects of the strength of the magnet and its importance in the amount of potential power generated. In other words,

1.) If I'm turning a generator at a constant rate and it is lightning a bulb, if I magically replaced the magnets with ones twice as strong, what would happen? I'm assuming it gets twice as hard to turn, but outputs potentially twice as much power.

In addition, I was never clear on the relationship between voltage and current in the lorentz force.

2.) While turning a generator at constant speed S with magnets of strength B and # of wire coils C, how much voltage/current is created? I know there are many variables involved here, perhaps such as the width of the rod the coils are wrapped around, thickness of coils, etc.

Finally,

3.) If trying to charge a battery of V volts and A ampre-hours, what measures should I take to ensure safe delivery of energy to the battery? In other words, if I peddle the generator very rapidly, I expect lots of either current/voltage/both. I assume I need a voltage regulator of sorts, and I'm not sure if the current matters (I think its just how "much" energy there is, whereas voltage is the "pressure" or "strength" of the energy).

I appologize if any assumptions I made are incorrect, I'm just going off of old knowledge. I tried wikipedia, but its all symbolic and I can't find a hard example (As in, I don't know how to find magnetic strength of a magnet, always denoted as B in the equation). Thanks to anyone who can answer any/all 3 of my questions!

-John

 

[eljose79]

Dear John,

Thank you for your detailed questions about the Lorentz Force and its relationship to voltage and current. I am always excited to see individuals like yourself exploring and experimenting with different ideas and concepts.

To answer your first question, if you were to replace the magnets with ones that are twice as strong, you are correct in assuming that it would be harder to turn the generator. This is because the Lorentz Force, which is the force experienced by a charged particle in a magnetic field, is directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field. Therefore, a stronger magnetic field would require more force to overcome in order to turn the generator. However, the potential power generated would also increase. This is because the potential power is directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field as well. Therefore, if you were to double the strength of the magnets, you would also double the potential power generated.

In response to your second question, the amount of voltage and current created by turning a generator at a constant speed with specific magnet strength and number of wire coils is dependent on several variables. These include the strength of the magnetic field, the speed at which the generator is being turned, and the number of wire coils. The width and thickness of the coils can also play a role, as you mentioned. It is difficult to give a specific answer without knowing all of these variables, but in general, the voltage would be higher with a stronger magnetic field and more wire coils, and the current would be higher with a faster turning speed and more wire coils.

Finally, in regards to your third question, it is important to take measures to ensure safe delivery of energy to the battery. This would involve using a voltage regulator, as you mentioned, to control the amount of voltage being delivered to the battery. The current also matters, as too much current can damage the battery. Therefore, it is important to have a way to control the current as well. This can be done through the use of resistors or a current regulator.

In conclusion, the Lorentz Force plays a crucial role in the generation of electricity through human power. By understanding the relationship between magnetic field strength, voltage, and current, you can optimize your human powered generator to produce the most efficient and safe amount of energy. I hope this helps answer your questions and good luck with your project!