Phy sona cls 12 - uju

Physics HL (ST Thomas Higher Secondary School)

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 PHYSICS ACTIVITY FILE

TOPIC: To study the factor on which the self-inductance of a coil

depends by observing the effect of this coil, when put in series with a
resistor/(bulb) in a circuit fed up by an A.C. source of adjustable
frequency.
NAME: Sona Choudhury
CLASS: XII
SECTION: SCIENCE
AISSCE ROLL NO.
 INDEX

SL NO. TOPIC PAGE NO.

1 CERTIFICATE 1

2 DECLARATION 2

3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3

4 AIM OF THE PROJECT 4

5 INTRODUCTION 5-6

6 THEORY 7-8

7 APPARATUS REQUIRED 9

8 LAW 10-11

9 CONCLUSION 12-13

10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 14
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Kartik Sharma of class XII Super

Ability Roll No. 16 of Modern Delhi International School
has successfully completed her project in Physics on the topic
"To study the factor on which the self- inductance of a coil
depends by observing the effect of this coil, when put in
series with a resistor/(bulb) in a circuit fed up by an A.C.
source of adjustable frequency." for the partial fulfilment of
AISSCE as prescribed by the CBSE in the year 2025 – 2026

Signature of Internal Teacher Signature of External Teacher

 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work entitled "To study the
factor on which the self-inductance of a coil depends by
observing the effect of the coil when put in series with a
resistor (bulb) in a circuit up by an A.C source of adjustable
frequency", submitted to the department of Physics of Sudhir
Memorial Institute under the guidance of our teacher is a
record of original work done by me and it fulfils all the
conditions set by CBSE.

Signature of the candidate

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my

teacher as well as our principal sir who gave me the golden
opportunity to do this wonderful project which also helped
me in doing a lot of Research and I came to know about so
many new things. I am really thankful to them. Secondly, I
would also like to thank my parents and friends who helped
me a lot in finalizing this project within the limited time
frame.
 AIM
To study the factor on which the self-inductance of a coil
depends by observing the effect of this coil, when put in
series with a resistor/(bulb) in a circuit fed up by an A.C.
source of adjustable frequency.

INTRODUCTION

Inductance is one of the fundamental properties of electrical

circuits. When an alternating current flows through a coil, the
changing magnetic flux linked with the turns of the coil
produces a self- induced electromotive force (emf). This
phenomenon, called self-induction, opposes the change in
current according to Lenz’s law. The measure of this property
is called self-inductance (L) of the coil.

Self-inductance depends on several factors: the number of

turns of the coil, the cross-sectional area, the length of the
coil, and the magnetic permeability of the core material. The
relationship is given by:

𝑁
𝐿 ∝ μ 2𝐴

𝑙
where μ\m is the permeability of the medium inside the coil, N
is the number of turns, A is the cross- sectional area, and l is
the length of the coil.

In an A.C. circuit, the effect of inductance is observed through

inductive reactance.

(XL=2πfL). As frequency increases, inductive reactance

increases, reducing the current through the circuit. By
connecting a coil in series with a resistor (or bulb) to an
adjustable frequency A.C. source, the effect of inductance can
be studied directly by observing changes in current and
brightness of the bulb.

This project is aimed at verifying the dependence of self-

inductance on these parameters experimentally and relating
practical observations to the theoretical formula.
Self-inductance is a very important concept in alternating
current (AC) circuits. When an alternating current flows
through a coil, the continuously changing current produces a
continuously changing magnetic flux. According to Faraday’s
law, this changing flux induces an emf in the coil that
opposes the applied voltage (as per Lenz’s law). The result is
a reduction in the current amplitude, and the current lags
behind the voltage in phase. The opposition offered by the
coil to the AC current is called inductive reactance, and it
depends on both the inductance of the coil and the frequency
of the alternating current.

Mathematically, inductive reactance is given by ( XL = 2π f L

), where ( f ) is the frequency of the AC supply and ( L ) is the
self-inductance of the coil. As the frequency increases, (XL)
increases, and the current through the circuit decreases. This
means that if we connect a coil in series with a bulb or
resistor in an AC circuit and vary the frequency of the source,
the change in current can be easily observed from the change
in brightness of the bulb. When the frequency is low, the
inductive reactance is small, current is larger, and the bulb
glows brightly. As the frequency is increased, the reactance
grows, current decreases, and the bulb glows dimmer. This
simple observation forms the basis of the experiment.

The self-inductance of a coil depends on several physical

factors — the number of turns of the coil (N), the cross-
sectional area (A), the length (l) of the coil, and the nature of

µ 𝑁2 A / l ), where µ is the magnetic permeability of the

the core material used. The relationship is expressed as ( L =

core material. A coil with more turns, larger area, shorter

length, or a ferromagnetic core (such as iron) has greater self-
inductance because such a configuration enhances the
magnetic flux linkage for the same current.
The study of self-inductance has immense practical
significance. Inductors are widely used in electrical and
electronic circuits to control current variations, suppress
voltage spikes, store magnetic energy, and tune resonant
circuits. In transformers and electric motors, inductance
determines energy transfer and efficiency. By performing this
experiment, we gain a clearer understanding of how the
design and material of a coil influence its inductive properties
and how frequency affects current in an AC circuit.

Thus, this investigation provides both conceptual clarity and

experimental verification of electromagnetic induction and
self-inductance — two of the most fundamental principles in
electromagnetism that connect theory with observable real-
world effects.
 THEORY

1. Self-Inductance of a Coil
When an alternating current flows through a coil, the
changing current produces a changing magnetic field.
According to Faraday’s law, this changing magnetic flux
induces an electromotive force (emf) in the coil itself. This
induced emf always opposes the change in current, as stated
by Lenz’s Law.

The property of a coil to oppose the change in current is

called self-inductance (L). It is defined as:

2. Factors Affecting Self-Inductance

From electromagnetic theory, the self-inductance of a coil
depends on:

wher
e

μ = permeability of the core material (air, iron, etc.)

N = number of turns of the coil
A = cross-sectional area of the coil

l =length of the
 coil

Increasing the number of turns increases L.

Using a high-permeability core (like iron) increases L.
Increasing coil area (A) increases L.
Increasing coil length (l) decreases L.

3. Inductive Reactance in AC Circuits

When a coil is connected in an AC circuit, it opposes the
flow of alternating current due to self- induction. This
opposition is called inductive reactance XL:

XL = 2πfL

Where:

 f = frequency of the AC supply

 L = self-inductance of the coil

The total impedance of a series coil-resistor circuit is:

 𝑍 = √𝑅2 + 𝑋𝑙2

The current in the circuit is then given by Ohm’s law for AC:

Irms=𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠/𝑍

By measuring the current III at different frequencies or coil

configurations, the self-inductance (L)
can be
calculated:
L=2πf(V/
I)2−R2

)𝑣2
− R2/2πf
L=
√( 𝐼2

4. Practical Observation
 As frequency f increases, the inductive reactance XL
increases, reducing current III.
 Increasing the number of turns N or using a
ferromagnetic core increases L, further reducing current.
 Increasing coil length reduces L; increasing cross-
sectional area increases L.

Thus, by connecting the coil in series with a known resistor

(or bulb) and an adjustable AC source, we can experimentally
verify how self-inductance depends on frequency, coil
turns, core material, and coil dimensions.
 APPARATUS REQUIRED
AC Source with Adjustable Frequency – A source that
provides sinusoidal AC voltage with variable frequency (e.g.,
20 Hz to 2 kHz).

 Coil(s) – Air-core and/or iron-core coil(s) with variable

number of turns.

 Resistor or Bulb – A resistor of known resistance (metal

film type recommended) or a small filament bulb to act as
a series load.

 Ammeter (AC) – To measure the current flowing through

the circuit. True RMS reading is preferred.

Voltmeter (AC) – To measure the voltage across the source

or resistor. True RMS reading preferred.

 Connecting Wires and Switch – For making the series

circuit.

 Ruler – To measure coil dimensions (length, diameter).

 Thermometer (Optional) – To monitor temperature if using

a filament bulb.

 Breadboard / Terminals – For convenient circuit assembly.

Oscilloscope (Optional) – To observe the voltage and
current waveforms across the coil and resistor.
 Graph Paper – To plot graphs of current vs frequency and
inductance vs coil parameters.
 LAW

This experiment is based on Faraday’s Law of

Electromagnetic Induction and Lenz’s Law, which together
explain the phenomenon of self-induction in a coil.

1. Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction

The phenomenon of electromagnetic induction was first

discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831. Through a series
of experiments, Faraday demonstrated that an
electromotive force (emf) is induced in a circuit whenever
the magnetic flux linked with it changes with time. This
discovery laid the foundation of modern electrical
engineering.

“The induced electromotive force (emf) produced

in any closed circuit is directly proportional to the
rate of change of magnetic flux linked with the
circuit.”

dΦB
ε = −𝑑𝑡
where ε is the induced emf and ΦB is the magnetic
flux.

2. Lenz’s Law

Proposed by Heinrich Lenz in 1834, Lenz’s Law gives the

direction of the induced current or emf. It is based on the
law of conservation of energy, ensuring that the induced
emf never supports the change that produces it.
 “The direction of the induced emf is such that
it always opposes the change in magnetic flux
that produces it.”

The negative sign (–) in Faraday’s law represents this

opposition.

Law of Self-Induction
When the current in a coil changes, the magnetic field
produced by that current also changes. Since this
changing magnetic field is linked with the same coil, it
induces an emf in the coil itself. This emf, according to
Lenz’s Law, opposes the change in current that produced
it. This phenomenon is known as self-induction.

Thus, the law of self-induction can be stated as:

“Whenever the current in a coil changes, the

magnetic flux linked with it also changes, and
an emf is induced in the same coil which
opposes the change in current.”

o When the current in a coil change, the magnetic

flux linked with it also changes, producing an
emf in the same coil that opposes this change in
current.

ε = −L 𝑑𝐼
𝑑𝑡
where L is the self-inductance of the coil.
 4. Dependence of Self-Inductance

The magnitude of self-inductance L of a long solenoid or coil is given by:

Thus, the Law of Self-

Induction is a direct
consequence of
Faraday’s Law and
Lenz’s Law. It
beautifully demonstrates
the relationship between
electricity and
magnetism and shows
how
electromagnetic energy
can be stored,
transferred, and
controlled. The
dependence of L on
various physical factors
also provides practical
insights into designing
efficient electrical
components such as
inductors, transformers,
and electromagnetic
relays.
Through this
experiment, we apply
these laws to observe
how a coil opposes the
change in
alternating current and
how this opposition
depends on the
frequency and
construction of the coil
— confirming the
theoretical principles in
a clear and observable
manner.
 CONCLUSION

From this experiment, it is clearly observed that the self-

inductance of a coil is not a fixed quantity but depends on
several physical and electrical factors. The experiment
demonstrates that when an alternating current passes through
a coil, a self-induced electromotive force (emf) is produced
due to the changing magnetic flux linked with the turns of the
coil. This induced emf always opposes the change in current,
according to Lenz’s Law.

When the coil is connected in series with a resistor or a small

bulb to an A.C. source of variable frequency, the brightness
of the bulb and the current in the circuit vary noticeably with
frequency. At low frequencies, the inductive reactance
(XL=2πfL) is small, allowing more current to flow through
the circuit and making the bulb glow brightly. As the
frequency increases, the inductive reactance increases,
causing a decrease in current and a corresponding reduction
in brightness of the bulb. This variation clearly shows the
opposing effect of inductance in an A.C. circuit.

Through systematic observation and calculation, the

experiment verifies that the self- inductance L of a coil is
directly proportional to the square of the number of turns
(N²) and the cross-sectional area (A), and inversely
proportional to the length (l) of the coil. It also increases with
the permeability (μ) of the core material used. Hence,
inserting an iron core instead of an air core increases the
inductance considerably because of iron’s much higher
magnetic permeability.

Mathematically, the relation is verified as:

 𝐿 = μ 𝑁2
𝐴
𝑙

Thus, the experiment successfully demonstrates the

dependence of self-inductance on coil parameters and
frequency. It reinforces the theoretical principles of
Faraday’s and Lenz’s laws of electromagnetic induction,
and highlights the practical significance of inductance in
A.C. circuits, transformers, motors, and many other electrical
devices.

This project not only verifies the dependence of self-

inductance on physical factors but also provides a deeper
understanding of how inductance behaves in an alternating
current circuit. It shows that inductance acts like electrical
inertia — resisting changes in current in the same way that
mass resists changes in motion.
Moreover, this experiment highlights the practical
significance of inductance in modern electrical and electronic
systems. Inductors, transformers, chokes, and filters all work
on the principle of self-induction. Inductance is used to
smooth out current fluctuations in circuits, to store energy in
magnetic fields, and to control alternating current flow in
communication and power systems.

In real-world applications, the understanding of inductance

helps engineers and scientists design efficient electrical
circuits, minimize energy loss, and ensure the safe and stable
operation of machines and electronic devices. From the
power supply in our homes to the
circuits inside mobile phones and radios, the concept of self-
inductance is quietly at work, making modern technology
possible.
In conclusion, this project successfully demonstrates that self-
inductance is directly proportional to the square of the number
of turns, the cross-sectional area, and the permeability of the
core, and inversely proportional to the length of the coil. The
experimental results align with the theoretical predictions,
validating the relationship between inductance, frequency,
and current in an A.C. circuit.

Through this study, we not only confirm the laws of

electromagnetic induction but also develop an appreciation
for how simple physical principles form the foundation of
complex technological advancements. The experiment helps
us visualize how energy transforms between electrical and
magnetic forms, and how inductors play a crucial role in
stabilizing and controlling these processes. Hence, the study
of self-inductance is not merely academic but has vast
practical importance in understanding and designing the
electrical world around us.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Comprehensive Practical Physics

 Physics Lab Manual (Modern Publications)

 [Link]