Inductor Role in Time Constant of a DC Circuit

AI Thread Summary
In a DC circuit with a switch, lamp, and inductor, increasing the number of turns in the inductor coil decreases the maximum current and increases the time to reach that maximum current. This occurs because a higher number of turns increases the inductance, which opposes changes in current more effectively. The relationship between inductance and resistance in real-life coils means that adding turns also introduces more resistance, further reducing the maximum current. The time constant, which dictates how quickly the current reaches its maximum, is affected by the increased inductance, resulting in a longer time to achieve the same current level. Understanding these principles is crucial for analyzing the behavior of inductors in DC circuits.
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A d.c circuit consists of a switch, lamp and inductor.
The inductor is replaced with an inductor with twice the number of turns in the coil of wire, nothing else about it is changed.
State the effect on
A) maximum current
B) the time to reach max current

I thought increasing the turns would increase the current
and also increase the time taken since the back emf would also be greater

but the answer is
max current decreases
and time to reach it increases

can anyone explain why?
thanks v much in advance
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voltage= inductance * di/dt

since its dc, the voltage ends up zero.
Inductors "oppose" change in current.
More inductance, more opposition, eg slower change in current.
Thus it takes more time to reach the same dc current (whatever that is).
 
A) Well what do turns do to L? and what does L do to current?

B) what is the expression for the time constant? how does L affect the time constant?
 
[moderator note: Removed and moved new question to new thread]


Pythagorean said:
A) Well what do turns do to L? and what does L do to current?

B) what is the expression for the time constant? how does L affect the time constant?

thanks for your reply :)

L opposes current and I think more turns creates a bigger back emf but I don't know why and I don't know what more turns does to L

I have never heard of time constant (I'm doing SQA Advanced Higher Physics) but I assume it's how long it take to reach max. current so I'd say a bigger L means the time taken for current to reach its maximum is longer?

tjanks again
 
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If they are claiming that the maximum current decreases then they are implying that adding turns to the coil not only adds inductance, but also resistance. This will be true for a real-life coil made of wire with inherent resistivity, as opposed to a theoretically ideal inductor which has no resistance.
 
gneill said:
If they are claiming that the maximum current decreases then they are implying that adding turns to the coil not only adds inductance, but also resistance. This will be true for a real-life coil made of wire with inherent resistivity, as opposed to a theoretically ideal inductor which has no resistance

ah ok thank you very much for your quick reply :)
 
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