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Ch 30: Electromagnetic Induction
Knight Calc - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th Edition
Knight Calc5th EditionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137344796Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 30, Problem 1

The earth’s magnetic field strength is 5.0×10−5 T. How fast would you have to drive your car to create a 1.0 V motional emf along your 1.0-m-tall radio antenna? Assume that the motion of the antenna is perpendicular to B\(\overrightarrow{B}\).

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1
Step 1: Understand the concept of motional emf. Motional emf is generated when a conductor moves through a magnetic field, and it is given by the formula: ε=Blv, where ε is the emf, B is the magnetic field strength, l is the length of the conductor, and v is the velocity of the conductor.
Step 2: Rearrange the formula to solve for velocity v. The formula becomes: v=εBl.
Step 3: Substitute the given values into the formula. The emf ε is 1.0 V, the magnetic field strength B is 5.0×10−5 T, and the length of the antenna l is 1.0 m.
Step 4: Perform the substitution into the formula: v=1.05.0×10−5×1.0. This will give the velocity required to generate the specified emf.
Step 5: Interpret the result. The calculated velocity will represent how fast the car must move perpendicular to the magnetic field to produce a motional emf of 1.0 V along the 1.0-m-tall antenna.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Motional Electromotive Force (emf)

Motional emf is generated when a conductor moves through a magnetic field, inducing a voltage across the conductor. The magnitude of the induced emf can be calculated using the formula emf = B * L * v, where B is the magnetic field strength, L is the length of the conductor, and v is the velocity of the conductor relative to the magnetic field.
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Magnetic Field Strength

Magnetic field strength, measured in teslas (T), quantifies the intensity of a magnetic field. In this context, the Earth's magnetic field strength is given as 5.0×10^−5 T, which influences the amount of emf generated when a conductor moves through it. Understanding this value is crucial for calculating the required speed to achieve a specific emf.
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Perpendicular Motion

When the motion of a conductor is perpendicular to the magnetic field lines, the induced emf is maximized. This is because the angle between the velocity vector of the conductor and the magnetic field vector is 90 degrees, leading to the most effective interaction. In this problem, the assumption that the antenna moves perpendicularly to the magnetic field is essential for applying the motional emf formula correctly.
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