Why Does Induced EMF Change in Generators but Not Moving Conductors?

AI Thread Summary
Induced electromotive force (emf) varies in generators due to the sinusoidal change in magnetic flux as the loop rotates in a magnetic field, while it remains constant in moving conductors under a constant magnetic field because there is no change in the enclosed flux. Faraday's law explains that induced voltage is linked to the rate of change of magnetic flux through a conductor. In a rotating generator, the flux changes continuously, resulting in varying induced voltage. Conversely, when a conductor moves at a constant speed through a constant magnetic field, the flux remains unchanged, leading to no induced emf. Understanding these principles clarifies the differences in induced emf behavior between generators and moving conductors.
leojun
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why does induced emf change in case of generators but remains constant in case of moving conductor?
 
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after thinking for a while,i myself came to the conclusion that constant change in magnetic flux(in moving conductor with constant vel) causes constant induced emf and sinusoidal change in magnetic flux(in rotating generator) causes sinusoidal induced emf...:);)
 
The second part of your question is a bit confusing. A conductor does not generate constant emf if it moves at constant speed through a constant magnetic field. There has to be a time rate of change of flux enclosed by the conductor.

Induced voltage is governed by Faraday's law: \oint \vec{E}\cdot d\vec{s} = -\frac{d}{dt}\int \vec{B}\cdot d\vec{A}

Since in a rotating generator, \vec{B}\cdot d\vec{A} is integrated over the area enclosed by a conducting loop in the armature, the right side keeps changing if the loop rotates in a fixed magnetic field. So the induced voltage (the left side: the line integral of the electric field over the path around the loop) keeps changing.

If a conducting loop moves through a constant magnetic field there is no induced emf. This is because there is no change in the flux enclosed by the loop.

AM
 
Andrew Mason said:
If a conducting loop moves through a constant magnetic field there is no induced emf. This is because there is no change in the flux enclosed by the loop.

AM

Not the whole loop moves, but one side only in the experiments showing induced voltage in a moving straight piece of metal.

ehild
 
yup,the conductor here means the movable piece of metal...not the whole circuit.
 
ehild said:
Not the whole loop moves, but one side only in the experiments showing induced voltage in a moving straight piece of metal.

ehild
Ok. So the "moving conductor" is really an expanding loop in which dA/dt = velocity x length of the conductor. In that case \xi = -\frac{d}{dt}\int\vec{B}\cdot d\vec{A} = -Bvl which is constant if v is constant.

AM
 
Andrew Mason said:
Ok. So the "moving conductor" is really an expanding loop in which dA/dt = velocity x length of the conductor. In that case \xi = -\frac{d}{dt}\int\vec{B}\cdot d\vec{A} = -Bvl which is constant if v is constant.

AM
Yes.

ehild
 
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