B Current-carrying coil and solenoid

AI Thread Summary
The primary distinction between a current-carrying coil and a solenoid lies in their shapes. A solenoid is specifically a helical coil, while other forms of coils, such as toroidal or planar spirals, do not qualify as solenoids. Both structures consist of multiple turns of wire carrying the same current, but their geometric configurations define their classifications. The discussion emphasizes that the shape is the key factor in differentiating between the two. Understanding these differences is crucial for applications in electromagnetism and circuit design.
Meow12
Messages
46
Reaction score
20
What is the difference between a current-carrying coil and a solenoid?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Baluncore said:
The difference is the current.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid
Assume that the same current I passes through the coil and the solenoid. Honestly, that picture in the Wikipedia article looks like a coil to me. It seems that both a coil and a solenoid have N turns of a current-carrying wire with radius r, and I don't see the difference.
 
Meow12 said:
Assume that the same current I passes through the coil and the solenoid.
Then the only difference is the shape of the coil.
A solenoid is a helix.
A coil wound on a toroid, or as a planar spiral, is not a helix, so not a solenoid.
 
Thread 'Motional EMF in Faraday disc, co-rotating magnet axial mean flux'

Thread 'Motional EMF in Faraday disc, co-rotating magnet axial mean flux'

So here is the motional EMF formula. Now I understand the standard Faraday paradox that an axis symmetric field source (like a speaker motor ring magnet) has a magnetic field that is frame invariant under rotation around axis of symmetry. The field is static whether you rotate the magnet or not. So far so good. What puzzles me is this , there is a term average magnetic flux or "azimuthal mean" , this term describes the average magnetic field through the area swept by the rotating Faraday...
View full post »

Similar threads

I Electrical characteristics of a solenoid coil
Replies
10
Views
1K
B Inductive Reactance of Solenoid with Solid Metal Core With respect to frquency
Replies
5
Views
1K
I How induction works within a coil (nuances of it)
Replies
6
Views
2K
Induced current in a coil from a constant uniform magnetic field?
Replies
5
Views
2K
I Visualizing fields around coils (statics and magnetostatics)
Replies
5
Views
899
B Coil that conducts direct current
Replies
8
Views
815
I Magnetic field at a point along the solenoid's axis but outside the solenoid
Replies
5
Views
2K
I Question about Activating Solenoids that are facing each other
Replies
1
Views
1K
B Calculating Force on an Iron Object with Magnetic Field
Replies
21
Views
4K
Altered inductance around a solenoid in a cryostat (from Eddy currents?)
Replies
1
Views
1K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top