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CLASS 9 · LEARNING KNOWLEDGE

Electromagnets and Electric Motors – Basic Principles

How it works

An electromagnet is a coil of wire through which electric current flows, thereby creating a magnetic field. The strength of the magnetic field depends on the current strength, the number of turns, and the coil core. Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical motion by using the force exerted by magnetic fields on current-carrying conductors. The motor typically contains a rotatable armature (rotor) and a fixed magnet or electromagnet (stator). The direction of the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field is determined by the so-called “Left-Hand Rule”.

Note
A current-carrying conductor creates a magnetic field. In a coil or an electromagnet, the direction and strength of the magnetic field are influenced, among other things, by the direction of current, current strength, number of turns, and core material. Electric motors use the force interaction between a magnetic field and current-carrying conductors to produce motion.

An example

What happens to the strength of the magnetic field of an electromagnet if the current strength is doubled (all other conditions remain the same)?

The strength of the magnetic field doubles because the magnetic field is proportional to the current strength. Explained: The greater the current strength, the stronger the magnetic field (with the same number of turns and the same core).

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Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: Physics. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.