Electromagnetism

Cards (19)

  • What phenomenon do electric currents produce?
    Magnetic fields
  • How do electric currents affect magnetic fields?
    They produce their own magnetic fields
  • What happens to the magnetic field when current flows through a wire?
    It forms concentric circles around the wire
  • Where is the magnetic field strongest around a wire?
    Closest to the wire
  • What rule helps determine the direction of the magnetic field?
    The right hand rule
  • How do you use the right hand rule for current flowing upwards?
    Thumb up, fingers curl anti-clockwise
  • What happens to the magnetic field if the current direction is reversed?
    The magnetic field direction also reverses
  • How does a flat circular coil affect magnetic fields compared to two separate wires?
    It combines fields into a single magnetic field
  • What is a solenoid?
    A coil of wire with many turns
  • How does the magnetic field within a solenoid compare to that of a bar magnet?
    It is strong and uniform
  • What is an electromagnet?
    An induced magnet created by electricity
  • What happens to an electromagnet when the current is turned off?
    The magnetic field disappears
  • How can you reverse the direction of an electromagnet's magnetic field?
    By reversing the current direction
  • What are the four ways to increase an electromagnet's strength?
    Increase current, turns, decrease length, add iron core
  • What is the effect of adding an iron core to a solenoid?
    It increases the magnetic field strength
  • What type of material is iron in the context of electromagnets?
    A soft magnetic material
  • What happens to the induced magnetism of iron when the current is turned off?
    It loses its magnetic field
  • What are the key characteristics of electromagnets?
    • Magnetic only when current flows
    • Direction can be reversed
    • Strength can be increased
    • Loses magnetism when current is off
  • What are the steps to increase the strength of an electromagnet?
    1. Increase the current
    2. Increase the number of turns
    3. Decrease the length of the coil
    4. Add an iron core