Magnetic Fields in Solenoids Flashcards

All 5 cards in this deck

Describe the magnetic field pattern of a current-carrying solenoid.

A very strong, almost uniform field along the inside (parallel, evenly spaced lines) and a much weaker field outside, shaped like that of a bar magnet.

Why is the field inside a solenoid very strong but weak outside?

Inside, the fields from the individual coils add together; outside, the fields from the coils cancel.

Give three ways to increase the strength of an electromagnet.

Increase the current, increase the number of turns on the coil, add an iron core.

True or false? Reversing the direction of the current in a solenoid swaps its north and south poles.

True. The field direction reverses when the current direction reverses.

What is an electromagnet?

A magnet made by passing a current through a coil of wire (e.g. a solenoid), so it is magnetic only while the current flows.