The phenomenon of electromagnetic induction is one of the most beautiful and symmetric principles in all of physics. When a magnet and a coil interact, they engage in a delicate dance governed by Faraday's and Lenz's Laws. Let's break down this classic problem step by step and understand exactly what the galvanometer is trying to tell us.
Analyzing the Setup
Imagine you have a hollow coil of wire connected to a sensitive galvanometer. A galvanometer is simply a device that detects tiny electrical currents and shows their direction. Now, we take a small bar magnet and push it through the coil at a constant speed.
According to
Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction, an electromotive force (EMF) is induced in a circuit whenever there is a change in the magnetic flux linked with it. The magnitude of this induced EMF is directly proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux:
ε=−dtdΦ​
The negative sign in this equation is crucial. It represents Lenz's Law, which states that the induced current will always flow in a direction that opposes the change in flux that produced it. With these two laws in our toolkit, let's track the magnet's journey.
Phase (i)
The Entry
As the magnet approaches and begins to enter the coil, the magnetic field lines piercing through the loops start to increase. The coil experiences a sudden surge in magnetic flux.
Because the flux is increasing (dΦ/dt>0), an EMF is generated to oppose this increase. The coil essentially tries to push the magnet away by creating its own magnetic field. This opposition causes a current to flow through the circuit, and the galvanometer pointer deflects to a particular direction. For the sake of our options, let's say it deflects to the right.
Phase (ii)
Completely Inside
Now, the magnet is completely swallowed by the coil. It is still moving at a constant speed, but we must ask ourselves: is the magnetic flux changing?
The answer is no. The total number of magnetic field lines linked with the coil remains constant as the magnet glides through the uniform central region. Since the rate of change of flux is zero (dΦ/dt=0), there is absolutely no induced EMF and, consequently, no current. The galvanometer pointer relaxes and drops back to zero.
Phase (iii)
The Exit
Finally, the magnet reaches the other end and starts exiting the coil. Now, the magnetic flux linked with the coil is rapidly decreasing.
Lenz's law kicks in once again! The coil doesn't want the flux to decrease, so it tries to pull the magnet back. To do this, it induces a current in the exact opposite direction compared to when the magnet was entering. Because the current has reversed, the galvanometer deflects in the opposite direction. Since it deflected right during entry, it must now deflect to the left.
Final Conclusion
Putting it all together, the sequence of observations on the galvanometer is:
1. A deflection to one side during entry (Right).
2. No deflection when completely inside (Zero).
3. A deflection to the opposite side during exit (Left).
Looking at our given options, the visual sequence that perfectly illustrates this physical reality is Option (b). The beauty of this problem lies in realizing that induction only cares about change, not just the presence of a magnetic field!