Magnetic induction, Faraday's law and the likes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on electromagnetic induction, specifically Faraday's law and the nature of induced voltage in various scenarios, including the effects of changing magnetic fields and the motion of conductive loops. Participants explore theoretical concepts and their implications in practical situations.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes Faraday's law, stating that the induced voltage around a loop is related to the negative time derivative of the magnetic flux through a surface bounded by the loop.
  • Another participant claims that the induced voltage from changing the position or shape of a loop in a static magnetic field is an "effective" voltage, differing from the voltage induced by a changing magnetic field.
  • A participant argues that in the case of a changing magnetic field, the electric field produced is non-conservative, leading to the use of the term electromotive force (emf) instead of voltage.
  • There is a discussion about the differences in induced voltage effects when the magnetic field changes versus when the loop's position or orientation changes, with some participants emphasizing the line integral of the electric field.
  • Another participant suggests that even in non-conservative electric fields, the concept of voltage can still be discussed, though it may not represent potential differences in the traditional sense.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the nature of induced voltage, with some asserting that it can be considered "effective" while others maintain that it is a real voltage. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing perspectives on the definitions and implications of induced voltage and emf.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of the topic, including the implications of neglecting electron fields and the distinctions between conservative and non-conservative electric fields. There are references to assumptions made in the analysis that may affect the conclusions drawn.

vidmar
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Recently I started "studying" electromagnetic induction (O.K. that might be a bit of an overstatement, but I am interested in it, so it's just as well) and I came to the following important "discoveries":
- one of the Maxwell's equations states (Faraday's law if my memory serves me correct) that given any fixed surface with its border, the voltage "induced" on this border (but more importnatly just the voltage in the sense of the integral of the electric field along this border) equals the negative time derivative of the magnetic flux through this surface;
- suppose a "material" loop is placed inside a static homogenous magnetic field (the loop is not just imaginary) and suppose we are stretching it or that it rotates or whatever as long as its surface vector is changing. Then there will also be an "induced" voltage in this loop and it will again equal the negative time derivative of the magnetic flux through this surface. Just that this time I would claim that this "induced" voltage is not the voltage (in the sense given above) but rather an "effective" voltage of sorts, in the sense that its effect for almost all intents and purposes is the same as if indeed there was a real voltage present. My claim is a bit presumptuous and I'm not quite sure whether or not it holds but I am quite sure. In any case I would like it for you to tell me how "wrong" I am :rolleyes: . Also note that I am ignoring whatever fields the elctrons themselves produce in this case as this would complicate matters greately but I don't think it fundamentally hurts the analysis. Or am I wrong again? :smile: ;
- suppose the field changes as well as the surface vector. Again the "effective" voltage (as I would like to put it) is the time derivative of the magentic flux (negative, to be precise).
My teacher disagrees with me and says that the voltage is "real" in all cases and, naturally, I disagree with him. Feel free to do the same, but please argument (I know I haven't been doing much of that but I'm asking you to be better than me o:) ), better still, tell me I'm right.
Thanks for your answers.
 
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vidmar said:
I would claim that this "induced" voltage

...i.e. produced by changing the position, orientation, or shape of the loop...

is not the voltage (in the sense given above)

...i.e. produced by changing the magnetic field inside a fixed loop...

but rather an "effective" voltage of sorts, in the sense that its effect for almost all intents and purposes is the same as if indeed there was a real voltage present.

How are the effects of the induced voltage different in the two situations, in your view?

My claim is a bit presumptuous and I'm not quite sure whether or not it holds but I am quite sure.

Are you not quite sure, or you quite sure? :confused:
 
Last edited:
I think it's worthwhile to point out that in the case of a changing magnetic field, the curl of E is not zero (Faraday's law) and as such, the concept of voltage as a potential energy per unit charge does not exist. the produced E-field is not conservative. Therefore the term induced emf (electromotive force or electromotance) is used instead of voltage.

In a rotating loop in a magnetic field there will indeed be an emf (a current will run) that is equal to the -change in magnetic flux, but since there is no changing magnetic field, this is not a result of Faraday's law. I's simply the Lorentz-force acting on the charge carriers in the loop.
 
jtbell said:
How are the effects of the induced voltage different in the two situations, in your view?
Are you not quite sure, or you quite sure? :confused:

They are different in the sense that in the first case there is a line integral of the electric field around the loop and in the second (neglecting the fields of the electrons, which again I would say is a reasonable assumption) there is no such voltage (the line integral ...). And yeah, I'm getting surer - at least, that is, I've convinced my teacher, which is quite an acomplishment.
 
Galileo said:
I think it's worthwhile to point out that in the case of a changing magnetic field, the curl of E is not zero (Faraday's law) and as such, the concept of voltage as a potential energy per unit charge does not exist. the produced E-field is not conservative. Therefore the term induced emf (electromotive force or electromotance) is used instead of voltage.

I'd say that one can (even in the case of a non-conservative electric field) always speak consistently about the concept of voltage (just that it is no longer the diffrence of potentials) but rather depends on the curve of integration. The usage of the term emf is applaudable nonetheless (because of what I've written down) - in my language we know not of such distinctions, unfortunately.
 

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