Q1: What is a magnet?

Answer: A magnet is an object which attracts pieces of iron, steel, nickel and cobalt.

Q2: What is a Bar magnet?

Answer: A bar magnet is a long rectangular bar of uniform cross-section which attracts pieces
of iron, steel nickel and cobalt.

Like poles repel, while unlike poles of magnets attract each other.
Q3: Define Magnetic field:
Answer: The space surrounding a magnet in which magnetic force is exerted is called a
magnetic field. The magnetic field has both, magnitude and direction.
Q4: What is the direction of magnetic field?
Answer: The direction of magnetic field at a point is the direction of the resultant force acting
on a hypothetical north pole placed at that point.
The north end of the needle of a compass indicates the direction of magnetic field at a
point where it is placed.

Q5: Why does a compass needle get deflected when brought near a bar magnet?
Answer: It is due to the magnetic force exerted by the magnet. A compass needle is in fact, a
small bar magnet. It has been found by experiments that like poles repel each other whereas
unlike poles attract each other. Hence, the deflection.
A compass needle gets deflected when brought near a bar magnet because the bar magnet
exerts a magnetic force on the compass needle, which is itself a tiny pivoted magnet (free to
move in the horizontal plane.)

Q6: What are magnetic field lines or magnetic lines of force?

Answer: The magnetic field lines are the lines drawn in a magnetic field along which a north
magnetic pole would move. The direction of a magnetic field at any point gives the direction
of the magnetic force on a north pole placed at that point. Since the direction of magnetic
field line is the direction of force, on north pole, so the magnetic field lines always begin
from the North pole of a magnet and end on the South pole of the magnet. Inside, the magnet
however, the direction of magnetic field line is from the south pole to the north pole of the
magnet. Thus, the magnetic field lines are closed curves.

The relative strength of the magnetic field is shown by the degree of closeness of the field
lines, where the field lines are closest together, the magnetic field is the strongest. For
example, the field lines are closest together at the two poles, so the magnetic field is the
strongest at the poles.

Q7: List the properties of the magnetic field lines.

Answer: Properties of the magnetic field lines:
i) The magnetic field lines originate from the north pole of a magnet and end at its south pole.
ii) The field lines come closer to one another near the poles of a magnet but they are widely
separated at other places.
Where magnetic field lines are closer together, it indicates a stronger magnetic field. On
the other hand, when magnetic field lines are widely separated, then it indicates a weak
magnetic field.
iii) No two field lines cross each other.
This is due to the fact that the resultant force on a north pole at any point can be only in
one direction. But if the two field lines cross each other, then the resultant force on a north
pole placed at the point of intersection will be along two directions, which is not possible.

Q8: Why do the iron filings placed near a bar magnet arrange in a particular pattern?
What does this pattern demonstrate?
Answer: The magnet exerts a magnetic field all around it. The iron filings experience the
force of magnetic field of the magnet. This force makes the iron filings to arrange themselves
in a particular pattern. In fact, under the influence of the magnetic field of the magnet, the
iron filings behave like tiny magnets and align themselves along the direction of magnetic

field lines. The lines along which the iron filings align themselves represent magnetic field
lines.
.
Q9: What happens to the compass needle if the direction of electric current is reversed?
Answer: If the direction of electric current is reversed the compass needle is deflected in the
opposite direction. This shows that when we reverse the direction of electric current flowing
in the wire, then the direction of magnetic field produced by it is also reversed.

Q10: What is the magnetic field pattern due to straight current carrying conductor?
Answer: The magnetic field lines around a straight conductor (straight wire) carrying current
are concentric circles whose centre lie on the wire. When current in the wire flows in the
upward direction, then the field lines are in the anticlockwise direction. If the direction of
current in the wire is reversed, the direction of magnetic field lines also gets reversed.
Q11: How does magnitude/stregth of magnetic field produced by a straight current
carrying wire affected by current and the distance of a point from the wire?
Answer: The magnitude of magnetic field produced by a straight current carrying wire at a
given point is:
1. Directly proportional to the current passing in the wire and
2. Inversely proportional to the distance of that point from the wire.
So, greater the current in the wire, stronger will be the magnetic field produced.
And greater the distance of a point from the wire weaker the magnetic field produced at that
point.
In fact, as we move away from a current carrying straight wire, the concentric circles
around it representing field lines, becomes larger and larger indicating the decreasing strength
of the magnetic field.
Q12: Name the rule that helps in finding the direction of magnetic field produced by
current-carrying conductor (wire).
Answer: Maxswells right hand thumb rule.
Q13: Define Maxswells right hand thumb rule.
Answer: Imagine that you are holding a current-carrying straight conductor in your right
hand such that the thumb points towards the direction of current. Then your finger will wrap
around the conductor in the direction of the field lines of the magnetic field.

Q14: Describe Maxwells corkscrew rule.

Answer: Imagine, driving a corkscrew in the direction of current, then the direction in which
we turn its handle is the direction of magnetic field (or magnetic field lines.)
: When electric current flows vertically upwards the direction of magnetic field produced is
anticlockwise. On the other hand, when electric current flows vertically downwards then the
direction of magnetic flow is clockwise.
Q15: A current through a horizontal power line flows in east to west direction. What is
the direction of magnetic field at a point directly below it and at a point directly above
it?
Answer: The current is in the east-west direction. Applying the right-hand thumb rule, we get
that the direction of magnetic field at a point below the wire is from north to south and above
the wire is from south to north.

Q16: What will be the magnetic field pattern due to a circular loop (or circular wire)
carrying current?
Answer: The magnetic effect of current increases, if a wire in the form of circular loop is
used in place of a straight wire. When a current is passed through the circular loop of wire, a
magnetic field is produced around it. The magnetic field lines are circular near the currentcarrying loop. As we move away, the concentric circles representing magnetic field lines
become bigger and bigger. At the centre of the circular loop, the magnetic field lines are
straight. By applying right hand thumb rule, it is observed that each segment of circular loop
carrying current produces magnetic field lines in the same direction within the loop. At the
centre of the circular loop all the field lines are in the same direction and aid each other, due
to which the strength of magnetic field increases.

Q17: How does the magnitude of the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying
circular loop at its center related to the current flowing and the radius of the loop?
Answer: The magnitude of the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying circular loop at
its center is:

Directly proportional to the current passing through the circular loop and
Inversely proportional to the radius of circular loop (or circular wire)

Q18: How can the strength of magnetic field produced by a current carrying circular
coil be increased?
Answer: The strength of magnetic field produced by a current carrying circular coil can be
increased:
1. By increasing the number of turns of wire in the coil,
2. By increasing the current flowing through the coil, and
3. By decreasing the radius of the coil.

Q19: What is a solenoid?

Answer: A coil of many circular turns of insulated copper wire wrapped closely in the shape
of a cylinder is called a solenoid.
The magnetic field produced by a current carrying solenoid is similar to the magnetic
field produced by a bar magnet. The lines of magnetic field pass through the solenoid ad
return to the other end. The magnetic field lines inside the solenoid are in the form of parallel
straight lines. This indicates that the strength of magnetic field is the same at all the points
inside the solenoid one end of the solenoid behaves a magnetic north pole, while the other
behaves as the south pole.
The current in each turn of a solenoid flows in the same direction due to which the
magnetic field produced by each turn adds up, giving a strong magnetic field inside the
solenoid.

Q20: Name any use of solenoid?

Answer: A solenoid is used for making electromagnets.

Q21: On what factors does the strength of solenoid depend upon?

Answer: The strength of the magnetic field in a solenoid depends on:
1. The no. of turns in the solenoid. Larger the no. of turns greater will be the magnetism
produced.
2. The strength of current in the solenoid. Larger the current passed through solenoid,
stronger will be the magnetic field produced.
3. The nature of core material used in making solenoid. The use of soft iron rod as
core in a solenoid produces the strongest magnetism.

A current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field experi- ences a force due to the
interaction between --a. Magnetic field due to current carrying conductor and
b. External magnetic field in which conductor is placed.
Force on a current carrying conductor in a magnetic field
A current carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field experi- ences a force due to the
interaction between
a. Magnetic field due to current carrying conductor and
b. External magnetic field in which conductor is placed.
Flemmings Left Hand Rule
If we stretch our thumb, fore finger and the middle finger of our left hand mutually
perpendicular and if the fore finger represents the direction of magnetic field and the middle

finger represents the direction of current then the thumb represents the direction of motion in
conductor.

ELECTRIC MOTOR :
It converts electrical energy into mechanical energy.
Principle of a motor :
When a rectangular coil is placed in a magnetic field and current is passed through it, a force
acts on the coil which rotates it continuously.
Construction :
Main components of electric motor are given below :
1. Armature: It consists of a large number of turns of insulated copper wire wound over
a soft iron core.
2. Field Magnet: It produces magnetic field
3. Split-Ring or Commutator: These are two halves of the same metallic ring. The
ends of the armature coil are connected to these halves which also rotate with the
armature.
4. Brushes or Sliding Contacts: These are two flexible metal plates or carbon rods
which are so fixed that they constantly touch the revolving Commutator.
5. Battery: It is connected across the brushes. This battery supplies the current to the
coil

Working :
a. Let us suppose that the battery sends current to the armature in the direction South (S)
to North (N). Applying Flemings Left-Hand Rule, we find that the arm BA
experiences a force which is acting outwards and perpendicular to it and arm CD
experiences a force which is acting inwards and perpendicular to it. These two forces
form a couple, makes the armature rotates in the anti-clockwise direction.

b. After the armature has completed half a revolution the direction of current in the arm
BA and CD is reversed. Now arm CD experiences an outward force and arm BA
experiences an inward force. The armature thus continues to rotate about its axis in
the same anti-clockwise direction.
The speed rotation of the motor can be increased by
1.
2.
3.
4.

Increasing the current through the armature.

Increasing the number of turns in the coil of armature.
increasing the area of the coil
Increasing the strength of the magnetic field.

Uses of Electric Motors :

They are used in electric fans for cooling and ventilation.

They are used for pumping water.
They are used in electric locomotives, electric cars, electric cranes and electric lifts.
Small motors are used in various toys.
Used in Washing machine.