Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Two horizontal rails are cm apart, and a rod slides along them at m/s. A uniform field of T points up and along the rails, at above the horizontal. The circuit has a resistance of . Find the emf, the current, the force along the rails that you must apply, and the power that you supply.
A rod of length that moves at speed at right angles to the field has . On rails with a total resistance , , the force on the rod is , and the power is . A tilted field counts only by its part at right angles to the rod and to its velocity. A rod that turns about one end has .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Plan. Use the part of the field at right angles to the rails. Then find the part of the magnetic force that points along the rails.
Step 1. The emf. The vertical part of the field is T. So .
Step 2. The current. .
Step 3. The force along the rails. The magnetic force on the rod has the size . It is at right angles to the field. Its part along the rails is N, and this part opposes the motion. You must pull with N.
Step 4. The power. . The electrical power is W. They agree.
Answer: V, A, N and W.
Watch out. The rest of the magnetic force, N, is vertical. It does no work on the rod as it slides, so it does not enter the energy balance.
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