The relationship between a changing magnetic field and the electric current it induces is one of the most beautiful concepts in physics. In this problem, we are given a visual representation of this induced current over time, and our goal is to work backward to find the total change in magnetic flux that caused it.
I know that seeing a graph in an electromagnetic induction problem might seem intimidating at first, but let's take a breath. We have all the tools we need to decode it.
Analyzing the Setup
Let's begin by carefully analyzing the information given to us. We have a coil with a constant resistance of R=100 Ω.
Instead of an equation for the magnetic field, we are given a graph showing how the induced current I in this coil changes with time t. Notice that the current starts at a maximum of 10 A and drops linearly to 0 A in exactly 0.5 s.
Our objective is to find the magnitude of the total change in magnetic flux, Δϕ, through the coil.
The Master Equation
How do we connect the current flowing through the coil to the change in magnetic flux? We need to combine two fundamental laws of physics.
According to
Faraday's Law of Electromagnetic Induction, the magnitude of the induced electromotive force (emf) is equal to the rate of change of magnetic flux:
E=dtdϕ
Next, we apply
Ohm's Law, which tells us that the induced current
I is simply this emf divided by the resistance
R:
I=RE=R1dtdϕ
Let's rearrange this equation to isolate the change in flux. By multiplying both sides by
R and
dt, we get:
dϕ=I⋅R⋅dt
To find the total change in flux
Δϕ, we need to integrate this expression over the given time interval. Since the resistance
R is constant, we can pull it out of the integral:
Δϕ=R∫Idt
Geometrical Interpretation
Here is a crucial conceptual leap. What does the integral of current with respect to time, ∫Idt, represent?
Physically, current is the rate of flow of charge (I=dtdq). Therefore, integrating current over time gives us the total charge Q that has flowed through the circuit.
Graphically, the integral of a function is exactly the
area under its curve. So, the area under our current-time graph represents this total charge
Q.
Q=∫Idt=Area under I−t graph
Final Calculation
Let's calculate this area. The shape under our graph is a right-angled triangle. The area of a triangle is half times its base times its height:
Area=21×base×height
Plugging in our values from the graph, the base is
0.5 s and the height is
10 A:
Area=21×0.5×10=2.5 C
This means a total charge of
2.5 C flowed through the coil. Finally, we substitute this area back into our flux equation:
Δϕ=R×Area
Δϕ=100×2.5=250 Wb
The total change in magnetic flux is 250 Wb.
The Way Forward
Before we wrap up, let's look at a powerful shortcut derived from our master equation. The total charge
Q flowing through a closed loop is always equal to the total change in magnetic flux divided by the resistance:
Q=RΔϕ
Notice that this formula does not depend on time! It doesn't matter if the flux changes in a millisecond or a year; as long as the total change in flux and the resistance are the same, the total charge that flows will be exactly the same. This is a favorite concept for JEE, so keep it in your toolkit!