Lab Report 4

Lab 6, Problem 5: The Generator
Thomas J. Wendel (ID: 4109163) November 15, 2011 Physics 1302W Lab 231, Professor: Paul M. Haines, TA: Abdul N Malmi Kakkada
Abstract
How the potential difference induced in a coil of wire spinning in a uniform magnetic field varied with respect to that coils orientation to the magnetic field. A rotating coil was placed in a uniform magnetic field centered between a pair of Helmholtz coils (as seen in Figure 1). A small motor changed the orientation of that coil to the magnetic field. The potential difference was measured and recorded with a voltage probe that was hooked up to a computer.
Prediction
We predicted that a potential difference can be produced in a coil that lies within a constant magnetic field by simply changing the orientation of that coil with respect to the magnetic field. If we increase the angular speed of the coil, we are increasing the rate at which the coil changes its orientation to the magnet field, and thus the maximizes the value of the potential difference produced. Definition of Magnetic Flux: m=sBndA=sBndA Faraday's Law: =-dmdt Angular Speed (of Coil): =t=2t , =t We know that magnetic flux is proportional to the number of field lines through an element of area. Thus, if the surface the magnetic field lines runs through is flat and has an area A, and if B is uniform everywhere on the surface, then the magnetic flux through the surface is: m=BnA=BAcos Since we are dealing with a coil with N turns, the flux through the surface is going to be N multiplied by the flux through each turn. We also plug in t for , so:
m=NBAcos=NBAcos(t) We can now plug in our new equation for magnetic flux into Faraday's Law to get a value for the potential difference produced by a coil in a uniform magnetic field: =-d(NBAcos(t))dt=-NBAd(cos(t))dt=NBAsin(t) From this we can write: =maxsin(t) where: max=NBA=2NBAt We now have an equation with variables that are either known or easily measured. However, we still need to calculate a value for the magnetic field, B. We take our equation for the magnet field between two Helmholtz coils along a common-axis, with currents flowing in the same direction, from our previous lab report to determine the value of B. Magnetic Field between a pair of Helmholtz coils: (radius R, spaced one radius apart, along a common-axis, current I in the same direction, number of turns N for each coil) B= uoNR2I21z-R2 2+R232+1z+R2 2+R232 We set z=0: B= uoNR2I22R3*5432 After re-distributing the constants and simplifying, we end up with our formula for B: B= uoNIR5432
Procedure
We setup the pair of Helmholtz coils, which were spaced one radius R apart, with a rotating coil powered by a small electric motor centered between them (as shown in Figure 1). We connected a power supply to both the coils and used a compass to determine their magnetic fields. A maximum current of 2 amps was then applied to each coil, in the same direction, to produce a uniform magnetic field. We then hooked up a voltage probe to the computers interface and attached the clips to the end of the small rotating coil. The small coil was rotated parallel to the magnetic field and observed the potential difference using the Voltage-Time application on the computer. The small coil was then rotated perpendicular to the field and the potential difference was observed. We then hooked up the motor, which was attached to the small coil, to a DC power supply. The voltage applied to the motor was gradually increased and the potential difference
induced into the small coil was measured by the voltage probe and recorded to the Voltage-Time software on the computer.
Figure 1: A pair of Helmholtz coils with a rotating coil located at the center.
Data
Known Values: N = 200 turns I = 2 Amps(0.1) R = 10cm = 0.1m(0.01) A = A=66.5cm2=0.00665m2(0.0001) uo=410-7Tm/A B=0.0036(0.00001)
Time(Sec)
Measured(Volts ) Predicted(Volts)
(0.01)
0.020 0.033 0.036 0.042 0.057
(0.01)
No Data 1.551 1.258 0.722 0.562
(0.01)
1.508 0.914 0.838 0.718 0.529
0.075 0.080 0.130 0.201
0.524 0.327 0.300 0.190
0.402 0.377 0.232 0.150
Table 1: Measured and Calculated values for the potential difference induced into a rotating coil in a uniform magnetic field.
Graph 1: Potential Difference Vs. Time for a rotating coil in a uniform magnetic field, with corresponding trend lines.
Analysis
The potential differences measured by the voltage probe, with respect to the period it took the coil to make one revolution, is given in Table 1. As the speed at which the coil changed its orientation to the magnetic field was increased, the potential difference induced into the small rotating coil increased, much like our predicted potential difference. The trend lines for the predicted and measured values (given in Graph 1) are very similar. The points to the right-side of the graph even start out touching, but slowly begin to become spaced farther apart as the rotation of the coil is increased. There were some potentially important sources of error that have to be addressed. The rotating coil assembly wasn't securely attached to the Helmholtz coils, which led to some unwanted movement/vibrations in our equipment. This led to distortion in our sinusoidal waves being read into the Voltage-Time software. Nevertheless, I feel our measured results matched the predicted fairly accurately.
Conclusion
A pair of Helmholtz coils, spaced one radius R apart, with a rotating coil powered by a small electric motor centered between them was replicated (as shown in Figure 1). Current was applied to the Helmholtz coils, to produce a uniform magnetic field, and to the electric motor that rotated the small coil. The data collected in our experiment supports the idea that a potential difference can be produced in a coil that lies within a constant magnetic field by simply changing the orientation of that coil with respect to the magnetic field. As the angular speed of the coil was
increased, the coils orientation to the magnet field changes at quicker rate, and thus maximized the value of the potential difference produced.

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Lab 6, Problem 5: The Generator

0.075 0.080 0.130 0.201

0.524 0.327 0.300 0.190

0.402 0.377 0.232 0.150

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