PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

SELF AND MUTUAL INDUCTION

SELF INDUCTANCE
When the current flows in a coil, it gives rise to a magnetic flux through the coil itself. When the
strength of current changes, the flux also changes and emf is induced in the coil. This emf is called
self-induced emf and the phenomenon is known as self-induction.
The flux through the coil is proportional to current through it.
i.e. i
d di di
  i.e.,       L
dt dt dt
where L is a constant of proportionality and is called self-inductance or simply inductance of the
coil. The unit of inductance is henry (H). If the coil is wound over an iron core, the inductance is
increased by a factor  (permeability of iron). The self inductance depends on shape and size.
The polarity of the emf dpends on the rate of change of the current, not on its magnitude or its
direction. This is illustrated in figure.

I increasing I decreasing

+ I - - I +

The polarity of the emf is determined by the rate of change of the current.
]
Self Inductance Of A Solenoid
To a good approximation, the magnetic field inside the solenoid is uniform and given by
N
B  O I  0 nI

N
where n  is the number of turns per unit length, N the total number of turns, I the total length,
i
and I the current in the solenoid.
The flux through the solenoid is
 oN2 AI
  BNA   onINA 
l
As expected, the flux is proportional to current I. The proportionality constant is the self-induc-
tance.
  oN2 A
L 
I l
Self Inductance Of A Coil
As for a coil of radius R having N turns, field at the centre of the coil,
 o 2NI
B
4 R
So flux linked with the coil due to its own current,
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

o  2NI o
  BS  
4 R
 2
 R N  
4
2 2N2R I  
But as by definition,   LI

o 1
So, L c 
4
 2

2 2N2R   o N2R

Self Inductance Of A Toroid

A toroid of very large radius r is taken so that the difference between the outer and inner radii can be
neglected.

Amperian loop

A
 




 


  
D B
r




   

C
B

By taking an Amperean path ABCD,

 
  .dl  B  2 r  0ni  2 r
O B

where n = N / 2  r. and B   0 ni
Total magnetic flux associated with the toroid =   n  2 r   0 ni  A
where A = cross-sectional area of toroid
  n.2r .  0 ni . A
d di
()   0 n 2 l A where l  2r
dt dt
 L   0 n 2 lA
For a magnetic core, L = km Lvac where km is the permeability of the material. By having paramag-
netic materials or diamagnetic materials, the change in the inductance is only marginal.

Illustration : 15
Two flat conducting strips of length l width b (perpendicular to the plane of paper) are separated by
a small gap a (a << b, l ). The right ends of the strips are shorted, and a battery of voltage Vo is
connected across the left end. The current is assumed to flow only parallel to the L-dimension of
the strips.
(a) What is the magnetic field between the strips?
(b) What is the self inductance of the circuit?
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

Solution
(a) Since a << b, l , therefore, magnetic field lines will be parallel to the plates and independent of
the distance from the plates.
Applying Ampere’s law along the rectangular loop as shown in the figure, we get
   oI I
 [Link]   oI, B'  2y   y or B '  o
b 2b
Outsides the plates, magnetic field due to both current stirps cancel each other, thus B = 0.
But, between the plate, the two add together.
 oI
Therefore, B 
b

(b) The self-inductance is

   I
L ,   BA  B  la    o  la
I  b

d  oLa
 L 
dI b

Illustration: 16

A thin hollow cylinder of radius a is surrounded co-axially by another hollow

cylinder of radius b, where b > a. Both the cylinders form part of an electric
circuit and a current I flows thruogh them as shown in the figure. Find the
(a) self inductance per unit length.
(b) magnitude of the pressure exerted on each cylinder and state whether,
the force on each cylinder is tending to burst apart or to collpase the cylin-
der.
Solution
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

(a) Using Ampere’s law, the magnetic field at a distance r  a  r  b  is

 oI
B
2r
Flux through rectangular strip of length l and width dr is
 oIl b dr oIl b
d  [Link]     ln  LI
2  a r 2 a

o l  b  L o  b 
L  ln     ln  
2  a  l 2  a 

Self induction per unit length is

 o b
L  ln
ll 2 a
(b) The force acting on a small linear rectangular strip of the inner cylinder is
    I
 
dF  [Link] l  B  
2a
dx lb
Where B ' is the magnetic field due to the rest of the cylinder excluding the strip.
B'' = magnetic field due to strip current
Using principle of superposition,
 oI
B '' B '  B  (outside the cylinder)
2a

B ''  B '  0
B I
 B '  B ''   o
2 4a
dF I  oI  oI2
p
Now 1   jB'  
l  dx  2a 4a 82a2
For the outer cylider,
Bnet  B1  Magnetic field due to outer cylinder excluding strip considered   B
o I o I o I
( due to I in cylinder of radius a) =   
4b 2b 4b
 oI2
 p2 
8  2b 2
The force on the outer cylinder tends to burst apart and on the inner cylinder tends to collpase it.

MUTUAL INDUCTANCE
Consider two coils P and S placed close to each other as shown in
the figure. When current passing through a coil increases or decreases, i1
the magnetic flux .linked with the other coil also changes and an in- P
duced emf is developed in it. This phenomenon is known as mutual
induction. This coil in which current is passed is known as primary
and the other in which emf is developed is called as secondary.
Let the current through the primary coil at any instnat be i1. Then the
magnetic flux 2 in the secondary at any time will be proportional to S
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

i1.
i.e.  2  i1
Therefore the induced emf in secondary when i1 changes is given by
d 2 di1
 i.e.,   
dt dt

di1
   M
dt
where M is the constant of proportionality and is known as mu- tual in-
ductance of two coils. It is deifned as the emf induced in the sec-
ondary coil by unit rate of change of current in teh primary coil. jdx T h e
unit of mutual inductance is henry (H). dx
Mutual Inductance Of A Pair Of Solenoids One Surrounding The Oth er
Coil
Figure shows a coil of N2 turns and radius R2 surrounding a long solenoid of length l1 and radius R1
and number of turns N.
To calculate M between them, let us assume a current i1 through the inner solenoid S1.
There is no magnetic field outside the solenoid and the field inside has magnitude,

N 
B   o  1  i1
 l1 

and is dirrected parallel to the solenoid’s axis. The magnetic flux B 2 through the surrounding coil
is, therefore,
 oN1i1

B2  B R12   l1
R12

N2B2 N   Ni   N N R2
Now, M    2   o 1 1  R12  o 1 2 1
i1  i1   l1  l1
Notice that M is independent of the radius R2 of the surrounding coil. This is because solenoid’s
magnetic field is confined to its interior.
If one coil is wound over another having the same length and same area,
L1  μ 0 n12 A, L 2  μ 0 n 22 A & M  L1 L 2  μ 0 n 1 n 2  A

If the coupling between the two coils is not good, M  K L1L 2 where K, the coupling constant is <
1.
Note: Unless M is either given or one is asked to calculate it, when inductances are taken in series or in
parallel, one neglects M.

Illustration: 17 I
What is the self inductance of a system of hollow co-axial
cables carrying current in opposite directions as shown?
a
I
b
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

Their radii are a and b respectively.

Solution :

The B between the space of the cables is, B = oI / 2r , I

Amphere’s law tells that B outside the cables is zero, as
the net current through the Amperian loop would be zero. a
I
Taking an element of length l and thickness dr, the mag-
b
netic flux through it is
 oi  il b b 1  lI b
d  [Link]    o  dr  o ln
2r 2 a r 2 a

 ol  b 
L  ln  
I 2  a 
Illustration: 18
Two concentric coplanar circular loops 1 and 2 are shown in [Link] radii of the loops are r and
R. Current I flows in the loop 1. Find the magnetic flux  2 through the loop 2 if r << R.

2
1

Solution
The direct calculation of the flux  2 is very complicated because the magnetic field is not uniform
over the big loop 2. However, the application of the reciprocity theorem greatly simplifies teh solu-
tion of the problem.
Let us pass the same current I through the loop 2. Then the magnetic flux 1 created by this
current through loop 1 can be easily found because magnetic field is more or less uniform in the
small loop 1 (because r << R). Thus, magnetic field at the centre of the loop is
 oI
B and the magnetic flux through the loop 1 is
2R
 o r 2I
 
 1  r 2 B 
2R
 o r 2I
Using reciprocity theorem  2  1 
2R
 o r 2
And the coefficient of mutual inductance is M
2R

COMBINATION OF INDUCTANCES
(i) Series Combination
In series: If several inductance are connected in series and there are no interactions between them,
then their equivalent inductance is obtained by following method.
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

di di di
In figure (a), Va  Vc  L1 ; Vc  Vd  L2 and Vd  Vb  L3
dt dt dt
Adding all these equations, we have
di
Va  Vb  L1  L2  L3  (1)
dt
In figure (b),
di
Va  Vb  L (2)
dt
Here L = equivalent inductance.
From equations (1), (2), we have L  L1  L2  L3
(ii) Parallel Combination
If several inductors are connected in parallel combination such that there are no interactions be-
tween them, then their equivalent inductance is obtained by following method.

In figure (a), i  i1  i2  i3

di di1 di2 di3

or   
dt dt dt dt
di Va  Vb Va  Vb Va  Vb
or    (1)
dt L1 L2 L3
In figure (b),
di Va  Vb
 (2)
dt L
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

From equations (1) and (2),

1 1 1 1
  
L L1 L2 L3

5. GROWTH AND DECAY OF CURRENT IN L-R CIRCUIT

(i) Growth of current in an inductor
When current is allowed through an inductor, the growing current induces an emf which opposes
the growth of current in the inductor. In figure, when the switch is connected to the terminal 1, the
current grows in the inductor.
At position 1 of the swtich, applying Kirchhoff’s law to the closed circuit,
Ldi
iR  0
dt
Solving the differential equation, we get
 Rt t
   
i 1  e L
  1  e T

R  R 

 L
where  is called the time constant of the circuit    .
 R 

Time Constant
It measures the rapidity with which the final state or the steady state is approached and may be
defined as the time in which the steady state would have been reached if the current were allowed
to increase at the initial rate.

 1

In one time constant current rises to 1  e Io  0.63Io
(ii) Decay of Current in an Inductor
As the switch is truned off in figure, the emf is disconnected, the current decays in the inductor
through the resistor. It decays as the switch is turned to position 2.
Applying Kirchhoff’s law to the closed circuit thus formed, we have
dI
L  IR  0
dt
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

 LRt 
On solving, we get, I  Io e 
 
where Io = current in the circuit at t = 0.
Note: The time constant may also be defined in the same way as we have done in again.

Illustration :19
A coil of resistance 20 and inductance 0.5 henry is switched to dc 200 volt supply. Calculate the
rate of increase of current :
(a) at the instant of closing the switch and
(b) after one time constant
(c) Find the steady state current in the circuit
Solution :
(a) This is the case of growth of current in an L-R circuit. Hence, current at time t is given by,
i  i0 1  e  t /  L 
Rate of increase of current,
di i0  t / 
 e L
dt L
di i0 E / R E
At t = 0,   
dt L L / R L
Substituting the value we have,
di 200
  400 A / s
dt 0.5
di
(b) At t  L ,  (400)e 1  (0.37) (400)  148A / s
dt
(c) The steady state current in the circuit,
E 200
i0    10 A
R 20

Illustration:20
Show that if the flux of induction through a coil changes from 1 to 2 , then the charge q that flows
2  1
through the circuit of total resistance R is given by q  .
R
Solution:
d
Let  be the instantaneous flux. Then is the instantaneous rate of change of flux and that is
dt
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

d
also the instantaneous emf and obviously / R is the instantaneous current. Since current is
dt
dq
the rate of flow of charge, that is, i 
dt
q   idt
t 
 d 
or q   dt / R  dt
t 0

where  is the time during which change take place. But at t = 0,   1 and t  ,   2 .
2
1 2  1
 qR  d 
R .
1

Illustration: 21
In the circuit shown, if the switch S is suddenly shifted to posi-
tion 1 from position 2 at t = 0, find the current in the circuit as a
function of time. Assume that, initially the circuit is in a steady
state condition and the connection is switched from 2 to 1 in a
continuous manner.
Solution :
Let Io be the initial current in the steady state condition, Io = E/R.
Since inductors have the tendency to maintain the flux constant, therefore,
E
 IoL  I'o L  2L   I'o 
3R
where Io is the current in the circuit at t = 0 when switch position is changed.
If I is the instantaneous current in the circuit, then applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law,
I t
dI dI dt E  IR R
E  3L  iR  0     ln  t
dt I 'o
E  iR 0 3L E  I 'o R 3L

R R Rt
E  IR  t 2E  3L t E 2  
  e 3L  E  IR  e  I  1  e 3L 
E 3 R 3 
E R
3R

Illustration:22
A thin wire ring of radius a and resistance r is located inside a
long solenoid so that their axes coincide. The length of the sole-
noid is equal to l its cross-sectional radius is b. At a certain
moment, the solenoid was connected to a source of constant
voltage V. The total resistance of the circuit is equal to R. As-
suming the inductance of the ring to be negligible, find the maxi-
mum value of the radial force acting per unit length of the ring.
Solution:
The inductance L of the solenoid
L   0 n 2 b 2 l …(i)
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

V
The current through the solenoid varies as I(t)  (1  e  t R / L )
R
B(t) = magnetic induction   0 n I(t)


flux through ring = B.A   o nI  t  a  2

d dI(t)
e   0 na 2
dt dt
e  o na 2 dI  t 
Induced current I '  t   
r r dt
dF
Force per unit length on the ring   BI'  t 
d
dF
 o nI  t  I'  t 
d
dF  02 a 2 2  V   V Re
t R / L

 .n  (1  e  t R / L )  .  . 
d r R  R L 

 02 a 2 V 2  t / R L  n2 
 .e (1  e  t / RL )  
r  RL  V

dF
For finding maximum value of force per unit length, we differentiate w.r.t. t and put to zero.
d
This gives the time at which this occurs.
1
e t / R L 
2
 dF   20 a 2 V 2 n 2 0 a 2 v 2
  d   
max 4rR L 4Rlb 2
ENERGY STORED IN THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF AN INDUCTOR
The battery that establishes the current in an inductor has to do work against the opposing
induced emf. The energy supplied by the battery is stored in the inductor.
Let i be the instantaneous current in the circuit then applying Kirchoff’s voltage law, we get

di L R
E  iR  L
dt
The power supplied by the battery is given by i
i
di
P  Ei  i2R  Li
dt
E
where i2R is the power dissipated in the resistor and the last term represents the rate at which
energy is being supplied to the inductor.
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

dU di
 Li
dt dt
The total energy stored when the current rises from O to I is found by integration
1
1 2
U   Lidi  LI
0
2
The self inductance of a solenoid is L   on2 Al

B2 Al
Since B  onI, therefore, L 
 oI2

1 2 B2
Thus, energy stored is U  LI   Al 
2 2 o
Since Al is the volume of the solenoid the energy per unit volume stored in the solenoid is
U B2
u 
Al 2 o
This is the energy density of a magnetic field in free space.
NOTE: It is important not to confuse between the behaviours of resistors and inductors when talking
about energy. Energy flows into a resistor whenever a current passes through it, whether the
current is steady or varying, and this energy is dissipated in the form of heat. By contrast, energy
flows into an ideal inductor (zero resistance inductor) only when the current in the inductor increases.
This energy is not dissipated; rather it is stored in the inductor and released when the current
decreases. When a steady current flows through an inductor, there is no energy flow either in or
out.
b
Illustration: 23
a
A coaxial cable consists of internal solid inductor of radius a and
external thin walled conducting tube of radius b. Find the inductance
of a unit length of the cable, considering that the current distribution
over the cross-section of the internal conductor is uniform. The h
permeability is equal to unity everywhere.

Solution :
The magnetic field inside the coaxial cable is given by
 0Ir
B1  for r  a
2a2
 0I
B2  for a  r  b
2r
B3 = 0 for r > b
The magnetic energy stored in the cable per unit length is
a b
B2 B2
U   1 (2r) dr   2 (2r) dr
0
2 0 a
2 0
a b
 0I2 3  0I2 dr  0I2  1 b
or U  r dr  a r or U   ln 
4a 4 0
4 4  4 a
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

1 2
Using equation, we have, U  LI
2
2U  0  1 b
L 2
   ln 
I 2  4 a

Illustration: 24
A solenoid of resistance 50  and inductance 80 henry are connected to a 200 V battery. How
long will it take for the current to reach 50% of its final equilibrium value? Calculate the maximum
energy stored.
Solution :
The current i in RL circuit is given by
E E
i 1  eRt /L  , when t  , i 
R R
Suppose that the current reaches half of this value in a time to,
1E E
 1  eRto /L 
2R R
1 E 1 1
 1  eRto /L  ; 1  eRt o / L   1  
2 R 2 2
L 80
to  loge  2   0.693  1.11s
R 50
2
1 2 1  200 
Emax  Li   80    640 J
2 2  50 
Illustration: 25
The current in a coil of self-inductance L = 2 H is increasing according to the law i  2 sin t 2 . Find
the amount of energy spent during the period when the current changes from 0 to 2 ampere.
Solution

2 
Let the current be 2 amp at t =  , Then 2  2 sin    
2
di
When the instantaneous current is i, the self induced emf is L . If dq amount of charge is
dt
 di  di
displaced in time dt then elementary work done = L   dq  L idt  Lidt .
 dt dt
   


W   Lidi   L2 sin t 2d 2 sin t 2  ; W   8L sin t 2 cos t 2dt  4L  sin 2t 2 tdt
0 0 0 0
2
Let   2t d  4tdt
sin d
 The integral = 4L   L   cos   L cos 2t 2
4
/2
W  L cos 2t 2  = 2L = 2  2 = 4 J
0

6. LC OSCILLATIONS
A capacitor is charged to a p.d. of V0 by connecting it across a battery and then allowed to
discharge through a pure inductor of inductance L.
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

At any instant, let the charge on the capacitor be q and current in the circuit be i.

q2 1 2
 Li  costant (1)
2C 2
1 dq 1 di
Differentiating w.r.t. time, we get 2q  L.2i  0
2C dt 2 dt
d2q 1
i.e. 2
 q   2q (where   2f )
dt LC
1
which gives f 
2 LC
 current i in the circuit and the charge q on the plates of the capacitor vary sinusoidally as
i  io sin t and q  qo cos t .

q
q
o

O Time

RL circuit.
L
(i) has dimensions of time and is called inductime time constant.
R
E
(ii) Equation of growth of current in RL circuit is I  Io 1  e 
 Rt /L

, where io 
R
.

(iii) Equation of fall of current is i  io e  Rt /L .

E
(iv) In LR circuit, the initial current (during growth) is zero and final steady current is io  .
R
(v) Time constant of L-R circuit is L/R and during rise of current it is defined as the time in which
current rises to 63.8% of its final steady-state value. During fall of current, it is defined as the time
in which current falls to 36.2% of its initial maximum value.

Illustration: 26
An inductor of inductance 2 mH is connected across a charged capacitor of 5 F . Let q denote
the instantaneous charge on the capacitor, and i the current in the circuit. Maximum value of q is
Q = 200 C.

di
(a) When q  100 C, what is the value of ?
dt
(b) When q  200 C , what is value of i?
Solution
(a) Charge stored in the capacitor oscilallates simple harmonically as,
Q  Qo sin  t    and
PHYSICS ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION

1 1
   10 4 s1
LC  2  10 H 5.0  10 F
3 6

1
At t = 0, if Q = Qo, then Q(t) = Qo cos t and if Q = Qo/2, then cos t =
2
di  t  2  1

dt
  
 Qo  2 cos  t   200  10 6 C 104 s1    104 A / s
 2

(b) When the energy of the capacitor is maximum, the energy stored in the inductor will be zero.
di  t  2  1
i.e.
dt
  
 Qo  2 cos  t   200  10 6 C 104 s1    104 A / s
 2

1 2
Li  0  i  0
2

KEYS POINTS
1. The magnetic flux through a surface of area A placed in a uniform magnetic field B is defined as,
 
B  B.A  BA cos  , where  is the angle between B and A.

2. Faraday’s laws of induction imply that the emf induced in a circuit of N turns is directly related to
the rate of change of flux through it,
dB
  N
dt
Here, B is the flux linking one turn of the current. If the circuit is closed, a current will be set up
in it.

3. An emf is induced in a circuit where the magnetic flux is changing even if the circuit is open.
Closing the circuit results in a current flow through the circuit.

4. The induced emf in Faraday’s law does not have a chemical or electrostatic origin. The work done
in taking a charge around the closed loop is not zero. If E is the electric field related to the induced
emf, then

 Edl  0
where the integral is taken over the closed loop of the circuit. The induced electric field E is not a
conservative field. The closed loop need not be an actual material circuit. We can imagine any
closed curve in space. The integral of induced electric field over the curve is non-zero.

5. Inductance may be viewed as electrical inertia. The analogue of self inductance in mechanics is
mass.
ELECTROMAGNETIC - INDUCTION PHYSICS

6. Lenz’s law states that the polarity of the induced emf is such that it tends to produce a current
which opposes the change that produces it. The negative sign in the expression for Faraday’s law
indicates this fact.

7. When a conducting rod of length l is moved in a magnetic field of magnitude B with a velcoity v
such that the arrangement is mutually perpendicular, then the induced emf (called motional emf)
is Bl v .

8. A changing current in a coil (coil 2) can induce an emf in a nearby coil (coil 1). This relation is given
by,
dI2
1  M12
dt
The quantity M12 is called mutual inductance of coil 1 due to coil 2. One can similarly define M21.
There exists a general equality,
M12 = M21.

9. When a current changes in a coil, it induces a back emf in the same coil. This self induced emf is
given by,
dI
  L
dt
L is called the inductance of the coil. It is a measure of the opposition of a coil to a change of
1 2
current through it. Work done in establishing the current in a circuit form 0 to i amp is Li .
2

10. For a long solenoid, whose core consists of a magnetic material of permeability  o

L   r  on2 Al
Here, A is the cross-section area of the solenoid, l its length and n the number of turns per unit
length.

11. Both self-inductance and mutual inductance depend on (i) geometry of the circuit and (ii) intrinsic
material property such as the magnetic permeability. In this case, they bear a similarity to
capacitance and resistance.

RL circuit.
L
(i) has dimensions of time and is called inductime time constant.
R
E

(ii) Equation of growth of current in RL circuit is I  Io 1  e
 Rt /L
 , where i
o 
R
.

(iii) Equation of fall of current is i  io e  Rt /L .

E
(iv) In LR circuit, the initial current (during growth) is zero and final steady current is io  .
R
(v) Time constant of L-R circuit is L/R and during rise of current it is defined as the time in which
current rises to 63.8% of its final steady-state value. During fall of current, it is defined as the time
in which current falls to 36.2% of its initial maximum value.