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Release date: June 2004

16 Electromagnetism

Practice 16.1 (p. 105)

1 C

2 B

3 C

4 B

5 True

6 False

7 True

9 (a) It can be a bar magnet or an iron bar.

(b) Flip one of the magnets so that two like poles are facing the object. If the
object keeps aligned with the magnets, it is an iron bar; otherwise, it is a bar
magnet.
(Or other reasonable answers.)

10
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11

12 (a) X is the south pole and Y is the north pole.

(b) The compass needle points from the right to the left.

Practice 16.2 (p .117)

1 B

2 D

3 A

4 A

5 D

7 (a)

(b)
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(c)

8 (a) The magnetic field increases.

(b) The magnetic field increases.
(c) The magnetic field increases.
(d) The magnetic field is unchanged.

9 (a) Soft iron.

(b) X is the south pole and Y is the north pole.
(c) Since unlike poles attract, the ends X and Y attract each other and stick
together if an elastic material is used to make A. Hence, it is unwise to make A
with an elastic material.

10 The current flows from B to A.

Practice 16.3 (p .124)

1 B

2 B

3 A

4 C

5 D

6 (a)
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(b) (i) The direction of magnetic force reverses.

(ii) The direction of magnetic force reverses.
(iii) The direction of magnetic force is unchanged.
In these cases, the magnitude of the magnetic force is unchanged.

7 (a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Practice 16.4 (p. 132)

1 A

2 B
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3 C

4 D

5 (a)

(b) (i)

(ii)

(c) Any three of the following:

− Increase the current flowing in the coil.
− Increase the number of turns of the coil.
− Increase the area of the coil inside the magnetic field.
− Wind the coil on a soft-iron core.
− Use a stronger magnet.

6 (a) Since the commutator in this motor is a full-ring, the coil is short-circuited and
hence the motor does not work.
(b) Change the full-ring commutator to a split-ring commutator and the motor can
work properly.

7 The advantage of using an electromagnet in a motor is that it can run on a.c.

8 The differences in structure between a simple motor and a practical motor are as
follows.
− The coil in a practical motor has a large number of turns wound on a soft-iron
armature.
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− The armature of a practical motor has several coils set at different angles.
− The pole pieces of the magnet are made curved.

9 (a) On increasing the current, by P = I2R, the power loss by the resistance of the
coil increases and the heat generated may damage the wiring of the motor.
(b) If the number of turns of the coil increases, the weight of the coil increases and
this may reduce the turning effect.
(Or since the resistance of the coil increases with the number of turns, the
current flowing through the coil decreases and this may reduce the turning
effect on the coil.)
(c) On increasing the area of the coil inside the magnetic field, more wire could be
used and this could increase the weight of the coil and reduce the turning effect
on the coil.

Revision exercise 16

Multiple-choice (p. 136)

Section A

1 B

2 B

3 D

Section B

4 D

5 D

6 A

7 (HKCEE 2002 Paper II Q32)

Conventional (p. 137)

Section A
1 The balance reading is smaller than the expected value. (1A)
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Consider the coils P and Q in the above figure. The current flows in the same
direction along these coils.
On side T, the magnetic field acting on Y due to the current flowing along Q is
towards the right. (1A)
By the Fleming's left-hand rule, there is a force pulling P towards Q. (1A)
Similarly, there is a force pulling Q towards P. The case is the same on side S. (1A)
If a large current flows along the spring, the attractive force would be large enough
to pull the coils upwards. (1A)
Hence, the spring is less stretched and the reading is smaller than the expected
value.

2 (a) (i) Since the electromagnet is connected to a battery, a current always flows
through the coil of the electromagnet. (1A)
Hence, the electromagnet always attracts the iron at the door and the door
is always locked. (1A)
(ii) Add a resistor in series with the battery.

And the resistance of R2 << R1 << R3 < the coil of electromagnet. (1A)
When the switch is not pressed, the contact is open and current flows
through R1, R3 and the electromagnet. The attraction between the
electromagnet and the iron at the door keeps the door closed. (1A)
When the switch is pressed, the contact is closed and the equivalent
resistance of R2, R3 and electromagnet is much smaller than that of R1.
Hence, little current flows through the electromagnet. The attraction is
much reduced and the door can be opened. (1A)
(b) Any one of the following: (1A)
− Increase the number of turns of the coil of the electromagnet.
− Use more cells.
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It is because the above method can increase the magnetic field of the
electromagnet. A stronger attractive force results. (1A)
3 (a) Soft-iron (1A)
(b) Soft-iron can be easily magnetized (1A)
and it loses magnetism easily. (1A)

Section B
4 (a) (i) Core: iron core (1A)
Wire: thick wire of 0.4 m long (1A)
Cell: 9 V (1A)
(ii)

Solenoid wound on a core and connected to a cell (1A)

Correct labels (1A)
(iii) The magnetic field of a solenoid increases with the current in the
solenoid. To obtain the largest current, by V = IR, the voltage of the cell
should be the largest and the resistance of the wire should be the
smallest. (1A)
Hence, a 9-V cell should be used.
Since the resistance of the wire decreases with increasing diameter, (1A)
a thick wire (0.4-m thick wire) should be used.
A soft-iron core is used because soft-iron can enhance the magnetic field
of a solenoid and its magnetism can be switched on and off easily. (1A)
(For effective communication) (1C)
(b) (i) Switch (1A)
(ii) Yes, we can turn on and off the electromagnet without a switch. (1A)
When both ends of the wire touch the terminals of the cell, the
electromagnet is on. When one end of the wire does not touch the cell
terminal, the electromagnet is off. (1A)

5 (a) When the coil is vertical, the ends of the coil do not touch the wires connecting
the battery. (1A)
Hence, no current flows along the coil and the coil does not rotate. (1A)
To set the coil to rotate, a push should be given to the coil. (1A)
(Or the coil should be set in horizontal position initially. 1A)
(b)
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As shown in the above figure, the split-ring S touches carbon brush R and
split-ring U touches carbon brush T. Split-rings S and U are moving upwards
and downwards respectively. (1A)
When the coil is vertical, the carbon brushes do not touch the split-rings and
the coil continues to move due to its inertia. (1A)
Then the split-ring U touches carbon brush R and split-ring S touches carbon
brush T, as shown in the following figure. The current flowing in the coil
changes direction. By Fleming's left-hand rule, the coil continues to rotate in
clockwise direction. (1A)

Hence the motor can rotate continuously with split-rings and brushes.
(For effective communication) (1C)
(c) Any one of the following: (1A)
− A practical motor has coils consisting of a large number of turns.
− The coils of a practical motor are wound on a soft-iron core.
− Practical motor has coils set at different directions.
− The poles of the magnet of a practical motor are curved.
(d) Replace the permanent magnet with an electromagnet. (1A)
In addition, the current flowing in the electromagnet and the coil should come
from the same source. (1A)
It is because when the current changes direction, the poles of the
electromagnet and the direction of the current in the coil reverse at the same
time. The coil can then rotate smoothly. (1A)

6 (a) (i) The paper cone will move to the left. (1A)
(ii) The current passing the coil produces a magnetic field in the coil. (1A)
Since like poles repel and unlike poles attract, the cone moves to the right
or left depending on the magnetic field in the coil. (1A)
(b) The cone vibrates. (1A)
(Or the cone moves towards the left and right continuously. 1A)
(c) By v = fλ, (1M)
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v = 800 × 0.4 (1A)

= 320 m s−1 (1A)
The speed of the sound in air is 320 m s−1.

7 (HKCEE 2000 Paper I Q6)

Physics in articles (p. 139)

(a) 'Powerful electromagnets' are devices that can generate a large magnetic field from
a current. (1A)
(b) For a normal coil, voltage has to be applied across the coil to produce a magnetic
field and this consumes energy (P = I2R). (1A)
Since a current can continue to flow inside a superconductor without applying
voltage, energy can be saved if superconducting wire is used in an electromagnet.
(1A)
(c) Any one of the following: (1A)
− Superconductivity of metals appears only at an extremely low temperature and
practical electromagnets are usually used in places where such a low
temperature is hard to maintain.
− Wires connecting the electromagnet give out heat when current flows through
them. This affects the temperature of the electromagnet. Thus it is difficult to
use superconducting wires in practical electromagnets.