Chapter 12 Magnetic Effects Of Electric Current
Introduction to Chapter 13 Magnetic Effects of Electric
Current
Class 10 science chapter 13 focuses on magnetic fields and electromagnetic effects.
How the magnetic effect of electric current is applied to electromagnets and electric
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motors is examined in the chapter.
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Magnetic Field and Field Lines
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Magnet
A magnet is a material that produces a field that attracts or repels other such materials
of magnetic nature.
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Lodestone is a naturally occurring magnet. It attracts materials like Iron, Nickel, Cobalt,
etc.
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A magnet is always bipolar, with poles named north and south poles. These two poles
always exist together and can not be separated. The north pole of a magnet is the side
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which points to the Earth’s geographic north when it is freely suspended.
Similar to charges, poles attract and repel. Like poles repel while unlike poles attract
each other.
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To know more about Magnet, visit here.
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Bar magnet
A bar magnet is a rectangular object composed of iron, steel or any form of a
ferromagnetic substance that shows permanent magnetic properties. It has two different
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poles, a north and a south pole, such that when suspended freely, the north pole aligns
itself towards the geographic north pole of the Earth.
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Magnetic Field
The region around a magnet where its magnetic influence can be experienced is called
a magnetic field. The direction and strength of a magnetic field are represented by
magnetic lines of force.
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Magnetic Field Lines no
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● A magnet’s magnetic field lines result in the formation of continuous/running closed loops.
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● The tangent to the field line at any given point indicates the direction of the total magnetic
field at that point.
● The greater the number of field lines crossing per unit area, the higher the intensity and the
stronger the magnitude of the magnetic field.
● There is no intersection between the magnetic field lines.
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Magnetic Field Lines for a Closed Loop no
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Since magnets have dipoles, magnetic field lines must originate and end. Therefore by
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convention, it starts at the north pole and moves towards the south pole outside the bar
magnet and from south → north inside the magnet. Hence, it forms closed loops. The
closer or denser the magnetic field lines, the greater the magnetic field’s strength.
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Iron Filings Test around a Bar Magnet
Iron filings around a bar magnet exhibit the magnetic field lines that engirdle the bar
magnet. The magnetic field lines can be explained as imaginary lines that graphically
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represent the magnetic field that is acting around any magnetic substance.
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Magnetic field lines do not intersect as there will be two tangential magnetic field
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directions associated with the same point, which does not occur. If a compass needle is
placed at that point, it will show two different directions of the magnetic field, which is
absurd.
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To know more about the Properties of Magnetic Field Lines, visit here.
Magnetic Field Due to a Current Carrying Conductor
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Oersted’s Experiment
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When electric current flows through a current-carrying conductor, it produces a
magnetic field around it. This can be seen with the help of a magnetic needle which
shows deflection. The more the current, the higher the deflection. If the direction of the
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current is reversed, the direction of deflection is also reversed.
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Electromagnetism and Electromagnet no
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An electromagnet is an artificial magnet which produces a magnetic field on the
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passage of electric current through a conductor. This field disappears when the current
is turned off. The phenomenon of producing or inducing a magnetic field due to the
passage of electric current is called electromagnetism.
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Magnetic Field Due to a Straight Current-Carrying Conductor
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When current is passed through a straight current-carrying conductor, a magnetic field
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is produced around it. Using the iron filings, we can observe that they align themselves
in concentric circles around the conductor.
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To know more about the Magnetic field due to current-carrying conductors, visit here.
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Right-Hand Thumb Rule
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If a straight conductor is held in the right hand in such a way that the thumb points along
the direction of the current, then the tips of the fingers or the curl of the fingers show the
direction of the magnetic field around it.
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Magnetic Field Due to Current through a Circular Loop
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The right-hand thumb rule can be used for a circular conducting wire as well as it
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comprises of small straight segments. Every point on the wire carrying current gives rise
to a magnetic field that appears as straight lines at the centre.
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Magnetic Field Due to Current in a Solenoid no
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A solenoid is a coil of many circular windings wrapped in the shape of a cylinder. When
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current is passed through it, it behaves similarly to a bar magnet, producing a very
similar field pattern as that of a bar magnet. To increase the strength, a soft iron core is
used.
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Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor in a Magnetic
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Field
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Ampere’s Experiment
When an electric conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force. This
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force is directly proportional to the current and is also perpendicular to its length and
magnetic field.
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Force on a straight current-carrying conductor is mutually perpendicular to the magnetic
field and the direction of the current.
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To know more about Magnetic Force, visit here.
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Also Read: Magnetic Field in a Solenoid Formula
Fleming’s Left-Hand Rule
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Fleming’s left-hand rule states that the direction of force applied to a current-carrying
wire is perpendicular to both the direction of current as well as the magnetic field.
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To know more about Fleming’s left-hand rule and Fleming’s right-hand rule, visit here.
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Electric Motor
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An electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
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● Current enters arm AB through brush X, and current flows through brush Y from C to D.
Using Fleming’s LHR, we find that the force pushes AB downwards and pushes CD
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upwards.
● In an electric motor, the split rings PQ act as a commutator that reverses the direction of the
current. The reversing of the current is repeated at each half-rotation, giving rise to a
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continuous rotation of the coil.
To know more about Electric motor, visit here.
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Electromagnetic Induction and Electric Generators
Faraday’s Experiment
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● Faraday discovered that a magnetic field interacts with an electric circuit by inducing a
voltage known as EMF (electromotive force) by electromagnetic induction.
● Moving a magnet towards a coil sets up a current in the coil circuit, as indicated by deflection
in the galvanometer needle.
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Electromagnetic Induction no
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The phenomenon of electromagnetic induction is the production of induced EMF and,
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thereby, current in a coil due to the varying magnetic field with time. If a coil is placed
near a current-carrying conductor, the magnetic field changes due to a change in I or
due to the relative motion between the coil and conductor. The direction of the induced
current is given by Fleming’s right-hand rule.
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To know more about Faraday’s Laws of Electromagnetic Induction, visit here.
Fleming’s Right-Hand Rule
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According to Fleming’s right-hand rule, the thumb, forefinger and middle finger of the
right hand are stretched to be perpendicular to each other, as indicated below. If the
thumb indicates the direction of the movement of the conductor, the forefinger indicates
the direction of the magnetic field, then the middle finger indicates the direction of the
induced current.
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Electric Generator
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● Converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.
● Operates on the principle of electromagnetic induction.
● AC Generation: The axle attached to the two rings is rotated so that the arms AB and CD
move up and down, respectively, in the produced magnetic field. Thus, the induced current
flows through ABCD.
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● After half rotation, the direction of the current in both arms changes. Again by applying
Fleming’s right-hand rule, the induced currents are established in these arms along
directions DC and BA; therefore, the induced I flows through DCBA.
● DC Generation: They work just like AC; they use half rings to produce current in one
direction only without variations in magnitude.
To know more about Electric generators, visit here.
Domestic Electric Circuits
Fuse
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● A fuse is a protective device in an electrical circuit in times of overloading.
● Overloading is caused when the neutral and live wires come in contact due to damage to the
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insulation or a fault in the line.
● In times of overloading, the current in the circuit increases (short circuit) and becomes
hazardous. Joule’s heating (resistive or ohmic heating on the passage of current) in the fuse
device melts the circuit and breaks the flow of current in the circuit.
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Domestic Electric Circuits no
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● Livewire has a voltage of 220 V and is covered with red insulation.
● Earth wire has a voltage of 0 V (the same as Earth) and is covered with green insulation.
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● The neutral wire has black insulation.
● In our houses, we receive AC electric power of 220 V with a frequency of 50 Hz.
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Power Loss in Transmission no
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Power losses in transmission lines over long distances occur due to Joule’s heating.
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This heat (H) ∝ l2R causes losses, where R is the line resistance.
Joule’s Law of Heating
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Joule’s law is a mathematical description of the rate at which resistance in a circuit
converts electric energy into heat energy. The joule’s first law shows the relationship
between heat produced by flowing electric current through a conductor and is given by
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the following formula:
\(\begin{array}{l}Q = I^{2}RT[\latex]
Where Q indicates the amount of heat, I is the electric current, R is the electric
resistance in the circuit, and T is the time.
Related Links
● NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 13
● CBSE Notes for Class 10 Science Chapter 12
● CBSE Notes for Class 10 Science Chapter 14
● NCERT Exemplar Class 10 Science Solutions for Chapter 13
● NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Science
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● NCERT Exemplar Class 10 Science
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Frequently Asked Questions on CBSE Class 10
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Physics Notes Chapter 13: Magnetic Effects of Electric
Currents
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Q1
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What is meant by magnetism?
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The characteristics of a magnet to attract or pull other magnets/magnetic objects are
known as magnetism.
Q2
What is the benefit of having a magnetic field?
A major benefit of having a magnetic field is its use of navigation. The Earth is a place
of habitation because of its magnetic fields.
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Q3
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Can wearing magnets or magnetic objects cause harm?
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Although they have been used in various diagnostic devices in the health sector and as
therapeutic tools, magnets are potentially harmful to the body and pose an increased
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risk of accidents.
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