Sunday 28 April 2013

P3.3 Keeping things moving - The motor effect

What you need to know:

The motor effect
When a current flows through a wire a magnetic field is produced around the wire.
When a current carrying wire is placed in a magnetic field it experiences a force.  This is called the motor effect.
The size of the force can be increased by:
  - increasing the strength of the magnetic field
  -  increasing the size of the current.
The conductor will not experience a force if it is parallel to the magnetic field.
The direction of the force is reversed if either the direction of the current or the direction of the magnetic field is reversed.
We can use Fleming’s LEFT hand  rule to determine the direction of  movement, the current or magnetic field

Fleming’s left hand rule:
Is used to work out the direction of the force (movement)experienced by the wire:



Applications:
Electromagnets are used on cranes in scrap metal yards for lifting iron/steel
The motor effect is used in electric motors. Electric motors are found in washing machines, hair dryers etc…


No comments:

Post a Comment