Faraday's law -- circular loop with a triangle

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on applying Faraday's Law to a circular coil with an equilateral triangle inside it, where a uniform magnetic field B(t) is decreasing at a constant rate k. Participants analyze the induced electromotive force (emf) and potential difference between points A and B, emphasizing the importance of circuit layout and the non-conservative nature of induced electric fields. Key equations derived include V_{ab} = \frac{3 k a^2 \sqrt{3}}{16}, highlighting the relationship between the triangle's geometry and the induced emf. The conversation clarifies misconceptions regarding induced emf and potential difference, asserting that induced emf is path-dependent and does not rely on resistance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Faraday's Law of Induction
  • Familiarity with electromotive force (emf) concepts
  • Knowledge of electric fields and their properties
  • Basic geometry of equilateral triangles and circular loops
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of Faraday's Law and its applications in various geometries
  • Explore the concept of non-conservative electric fields and their implications in circuits
  • Learn about the relationship between induced emf and magnetic flux changes
  • Investigate the differences between induced emf and electrostatic potential difference
USEFUL FOR

Students and educators in physics, particularly those focusing on electromagnetism, electrical engineering professionals, and anyone involved in circuit design and analysis.

  • #181
rude man said:
NM I meant it to go to our private thread.
@rude man The staff gave us permission to post a complete solution.
 
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  • #182
rude man said:
Probably yes. In the absence of the triangle that is certainly the case. With it I'd have to look-see some more.
there would be no es even if there were a triangle provided they were all same resistance
 
  • #183
Charles Link said:
I might have goofed in posts 150-152, but surprisingly, I did not get the two I′1sI1′s I_1's or the two I′3sI3′s I_3's equal as in your diagram. The circulation in a given direction, (clockwise or counterclockwise) may, in fact, destroy what appears to be a symmetry that may be non-existent.=Edit: I goofed somewhere in the algebra. Hopefully I will have a correction shortly.
the reason why i said symetery is that if you look way back at post 27 tsny said
"By symmetry, two of the triangle branches will have the same current and two of the circular arcs will have the same current. "
but i am not entirely sure if the concept of balanced wheatstone bridge can be applied here because the concept of potential is not well defined here but i am leaning on the side that says symetery is correct.
furthermore he said
"
This can be used to reduce the number of unknowns. I did not use this symmetry. Instead, I let the software solve the six equations and then checked to see if the particular currents were equal.
"
so you that's why i mentioned that
if it is just six equations then it indeed is very solvable in exam
 
  • #184
I finally got consistency and an answer that is consistent : ## V_{AB} =-\frac{15}{32} \sqrt{3}Ca^2 ##.
I need to make a couple of changes to ## I_4, I_5, I_6 ## in post 152, which I will do momentarily.
 
  • #185
For the ## V_{AB} ## we have:
## I_5 r_2=\int\limits_{A}^{B \, straight \, line} \vec{E}_{induced} \cdot d \vec{l}+V_{AB} ##.
The integral has value ## \mathcal{E}_1=\frac{\sqrt{3}}{4} Ca^2 ##. Plugging in for ## I_5 ## from post 152, with ## r_2=\frac{2}{3} r_1 ##, we get
## V_{AB}=-\frac{15}{32} \sqrt{3} Ca^2 ##.
====================================================================
Alternatively,
## I_2 r_1=\int\limits_{A}^{B \, arc \, path} \vec{E}_{induced} \cdot d \vec{l}+V_{AB} ##.
The integral has the value ## \mathcal{E}_2=\frac{\pi }{3} Ca^2 ##.
Plugging in for ## I_2 ## from post 152, we again get
## V_{AB}=-\frac{15}{32} Ca^2 ##.
 
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  • #186
The 6 KVL loop equations I used in post 152 were really quite straightforward. The hardest part was doing 6 equations and 6 unknowns by substitution by hand. Computer methods would be much easier and are not prone to algebraic and arithmetic errors.
 
  • #187
240926


i don't think we even need 6 equation you only need 4 equations

so this is what i have come up with for why the corresponding currents branches in left and right must be same

my notation
##
A_i
##denotes area ##I_i ##is current ## r## is resistance## E_m , E_{m'}## are the line integrals of electric field due to magnetism not the field itself and ## V_1 , V_2## are the line integrals of the electrostatic field
the net current through the left side is given by
##
\frac{E_m + V_1}{1.5r_2} + \frac{E_{m'} + V_1}{r_2}
##
and for the left side is
##
\frac{E_m + V_2}{1.5r_2} + \frac{E_{m'} + V_2}{r_2}
##
thus if
##V_1 \neq V_2## then the current law cannot be satisfied and this implies the currents through the left triangle branch is the same the current through the right triangle branch and same for the arc

after this we only have three independent loops and one current law for the other junction thus four equations
i can't find any software where you can input variable constant like kA
someone help me to compute this
after getting i2 we can vab as
##
i_2 r_2 - \frac{k A_0}{3}
##

but if you don't note that the currents are not equal at the start then you get 2 more equations one from current law at the junction and another voltage loop equation which is 6
 
  • #188
One correction to your diagram and your equations: By ## I_4 ## that needs to be ##r_1 ##.
I should have a solution for you momentarily.
 
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  • #189
@timetraveller123 Yes, I get ##I_1=\frac{\pi Ca^2}{3r_1}-\frac{\sqrt{3} Ca^2}{32r_1} ##, and it agrees with my final solution. By solving yours, I actually found an error in mine, where I had reversed the sign of ## N ##.
 
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  • #190
@rude man @cnh1995 See final corrections to post 152 where I reversed the sign on ## N ##.
 
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  • #191
Additional comment: This one was exhausting. I was on it for 3 hours this morning. First I found, (after about an hour), that "timetraveller123" incorrectly labeled an ## r_2 ## in his diagram. Then somewhere, there was a wrong sign on a term, and I finally located it in my 8 pages of algebra where I flipped the sign on ## N ##.
I think I finally succeeded!
"timeteaveller123" took a shortcut with the symmetry of the problem. His solution is simpler. I used 6 equations and 6 unknowns. I solved his 4 equations for him, and his answers agree with mine of post 152 !
 
  • #192
Here's how you can do it using node voltage method at nodes A and C.
20190327_190606.jpg


20190327_190823.jpg
 
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  • #193
@cnh1995 's method uses that the current into a node is the current out of the node. In addition it uses the current in any resistor wire is
## I=\frac{\int\limits_{X}^{Y} \vec{E}_{total} \cdot d \vec{l}}{R} ##,
where ## \vec{E}_{total}=\vec{E}_{induced}+\vec{E}_{electrostatic } ##, and where
## \int\limits_ {X}^{Y} \vec{E}_{induced} \cdot d \vec{l}=\mathcal{E}_{XY} ##,
and
## \int\limits_{X}^{Y} \vec{E}_{electrostatic \, XY} \cdot d \vec{l}=V_{XY} ##.
======================================================================
Alternatively, KVL uses ## \\ ##
## \oint \vec{E}_{induced} \cdot d \vec{l}=I_1 R+I_2 R +...=\mathcal{E}_{loop} ##,
since ## \oint \vec{E}_{electrostatic} \cdot d \vec{l}=0 ##.
(## \vec{E}_{electrostatic} ## is a conservative field, unlike ## \vec{E}_{induced}##).
 
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  • #194
Wit the above method, knowing that ## \mathcal{E}_{arc}=\frac{ \pi Ca^2}{3} ##, and knowing that
##I_1=\frac{\pi Ca^2}{3 r_1}-\frac{\sqrt{3} C a^2}{32 r_1}=\frac{ \mathcal{E}+V_{AB}}{r_1} ##,
we quickly get the answer that
## V_{AB}=-\frac{\sqrt{3} Ca^2}{32 } ##.
============================================================
The EMF can also be computed over the straight line path over one of the sides of the triangle to be
## \mathcal{E}_{side}=\frac{\sqrt{3} C a^2}{4} ##. The current on this side of the triangle is
## I_2=\frac{21 \sqrt{3} C a^2}{64 r_1} ##.
This gives, with ##R=\frac{2 r_1}{3} ## that
## I_2 R=\frac{7 \sqrt{3} Ca^2}{32 }=\mathcal{E}_{side}+V_{AB} ##.
Note ## V_{AB} ## is electrostatic and thereby path-independent.
Once again we get
## V_{AB}=-\frac{\sqrt{3} Ca^2}{32} ##.
 
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  • #195
cnh1995 said:
Here's how you can do it using node voltage method at nodes A and C.
View attachment 240928

View attachment 240929
Our answers are all in agreement ! :smile::smile: @cnh1995 needs to put his fractions in lowest terms: ## \frac{3}{96}=\frac{1}{32} ##, etc.:nb) Also I'm using ## C ## for his ## K ##.
 
  • #196
Charles Link said:
One correction to your diagram and your equations: By ## I_4 ## that needs to be ##r_1 ##.
I should have a solution for you momentarily.
oh you my bad
nice to have a final closure to this problem i have learned a lot from this problem thanks to all
which software do you use to solve equations
 
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  • #197
timetraveller123 said:
oh you my bad
nice to have a final closure to this problem i have learned a lot from this problem thanks to all
which software do you use to solve equations
I did them all by hand, by the algebraic substitution method. Your 4 equations and 4 unknowns was kind of easy. My 6 equations and 6 unknowns was painstaking, and even more difficult was isolating the error which I found=I had put a minus on the constant ## N ## instead of the plus sign when I did an algebraic step. (When I solved your 4 equations and I had a slightly different answer, I had to then double-check both the solution I got to your 4 equations as well as my 6 equations=and there I found the incorrect ## r_2 ## in your diagram, but they still didn't agree. After another hour of looking, I found where I had reversed the sign on the ## N ## in the equations that I had. Finally, with those 2 corrections, everything was in agreement).
I also found this problem very educational. Thank you for posting it ! :smile:
 
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