Piece of metal being carried through an inductor

  • Thread starter Thread starter guss
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Inductor Metal
AI Thread Summary
A piece of metal traveling through an inductor with DC current will experience a delay in the magnetic field reaching its peak due to the time it takes for current to build. The presence of the metal can disrupt the current and magnetic field, causing the solenoid to take longer to energize, especially if the metal is ferromagnetic like iron. The metal will be attracted to both sides of the solenoid, confirming that it experiences a uniform magnetic pull despite the field direction. Additionally, the interaction of the metal with the magnetic field can induce a current in the conductor, influenced by the Lorentz force. Overall, the behavior of the metal varies significantly based on its material properties, affecting the solenoid's performance.
guss
Messages
246
Reaction score
0
Hi, I have some questions about a piece of metal traveling through an inductor with DC current flowing through it. Imagine a solenoid of sorts with a hole in the middle that a piece of neutrally charged metal travels through, sort of like a coil gun.

Let's say the inductor has no current running through it, then we turn it on. It will take time to get up near it's peak magnetic field output, correct? I know the current takes time to get going, and the magnetic field is proportional to the current. And if the piece of metal is attracted to the solenoid, then the piece of metal will travel through the solenoid. Will the piece of metal being attracted by and traveling through the solenoid disrupt the current/magnetic field of the solenoid? As in, will the solenoid take longer to "get going" if it is attracting a piece of neutral metal?

My last question is, will the piece of metal be attracted to both sides of the solenoid (instead of attracted by one and repelled by the other) even though the magnetic field goes straight through the solenoid? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes but I'm just making sure.

Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I would model this using the free electrons moving into the B field of the solenoid.
What direction are the free electrons moving in the B field. And then use the Lorentz force to see which way the electrons will move in the conductor. Will there be an induced current in the conductor and if so what direction is it? F=q(vxB)
Good questions you bring up.
 
Thanks, but I still have a lot of difficulties. Such as, the force acting on the electrons is in the same direction as the magnetic field in the solenoid.
 
guss said:
Hi, I have some questions about a piece of metal traveling through an inductor with DC current flowing through it. Imagine a solenoid of sorts with a hole in the middle that a piece of neutrally charged metal travels through, sort of like a coil gun.
Copper and aluminium (non-magnetic) will behave differently to steel and nickel.
My last question is, will the piece of metal be attracted to both sides of the solenoid (instead of attracted by one and repelled by the other) even though the magnetic field goes straight through the solenoid? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes but I'm just making sure.
If you quickly slide the iron core into an energized solenoid, the core can travel through and partly emerge from the far end, then get pulled back in, then bounce back and forth until it settles.

Iron dropped into the solenoid just as it's being energized will increase the inductance, causing the coil's current to rise more slowly. :smile:
 

Thread '1:1 versus 2:1 Mechanical Advantage debate'

The rope is tied into the person (the load of 200 pounds) and the rope goes up from the person to a fixed pulley and back down to his hands. He hauls the rope to suspend himself in the air. What is the mechanical advantage of the system? The person will indeed only have to lift half of his body weight (roughly 100 pounds) because he now lessened the load by that same amount. This APPEARS to be a 2:1 because he can hold himself with half the force, but my question is: is that mechanical...
View full post »

Thread 'Newton's first law?'

Some physics textbook writer told me that Newton's first law applies only on bodies that feel no interactions at all. He said that if a body is on rest or moves in constant velocity, there is no external force acting on it. But I have heard another form of the law that says the net force acting on a body must be zero. This means there is interactions involved after all. So which one is correct?
View full post »
Thread 'Beam on an inclined plane'

Thread 'Beam on an inclined plane'

Hello! I have a question regarding a beam on an inclined plane. I was considering a beam resting on two supports attached to an inclined plane. I was almost sure that the lower support must be more loaded. My imagination about this problem is shown in the picture below. Here is how I wrote the condition of equilibrium forces: $$ \begin{cases} F_{g\parallel}=F_{t1}+F_{t2}, \\ F_{g\perp}=F_{r1}+F_{r2} \end{cases}. $$ On the other hand...
View full post »

Similar threads

Need an electromagnet to play Chess
Replies
37
Views
3K
Electronics Would This Setup for a Ball Bearing Accelerator Work?
Replies
2
Views
3K
Understanding self-inductance in a solenoid.
Replies
3
Views
1K
I How induction works within a coil (nuances of it)
Replies
6
Views
2K
I Why does a metal ring, slid onto a solenoid, fly off?
Replies
6
Views
2K
I Drag Coefficient of a 'flexible' object (e.g. a piece of paper)
Replies
4
Views
2K
Force of an electromagnet question
Replies
2
Views
1K
Is the skin depth of tarnished silver any different than untarnished?
Replies
6
Views
2K
What is the Relationship Between Solenoids and Magnetic Bars?
Replies
1
Views
1K
Correct statement about solenoid
Replies
2
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top