Suppose a long solenoid of 100cm length, radius 2cm having 500 turns per unit length, carries a current I=10sin(ωt) A, where ω=1000rad/s. A circular conducting loop (B) of radius 1cm coaxially slided through the solenoid at a speed v=1cm/s. The r.m.s. current through the loop when the coil B is inserted 10cm inside the solenoid is α/2μA. The value of α is _____. [Resistance of the loop = 10Ω]
A
197
B
100
C
80
D
280
Answer
Correct answer:A
Step-by-step solution
Standard Method
Given: A long solenoid has length 100cm, turns per unit length n=500m−1, and current I(t)=10sin(ωt) with ω=1000rad/s. The circular loop has radius r=1cm=10−2m and resistance R=10Ω.
Find: The value of α if irms=2αμA.
Since the loop is 10cm inside a 100cm long solenoid, it is in the approximately uniform magnetic field region. Therefore, the solution states that motional emf is zero and only the time-varying magnetic field contributes.
Given: The loop is coaxial with the solenoid and is already 10cm inside a long solenoid.
Find: Why the loop current is determined only by changing magnetic flux due to alternating current in the solenoid.
Deep inside a long solenoid, the magnetic field is uniform over the loop area and directed along the common axis. As the loop slides coaxially in this uniform-field region, the magnetic flux linked with the loop does not change because of motion alone. Hence the motional emf contribution is zero.
Only the alternating current in the solenoid makes the magnetic field time-dependent:
B(t)=μ0nI0sinωt
So the induced emf comes from
e=−dtdΦ
with
Φ=B(t)πr2
This directly leads to the same result:
irms=22π2×10−5A
and therefore
α=197.4≈197
So the correct option remains A.
Common mistakes
Students may include a motional emf term because the loop is moving. That is incorrect here because the loop is already well inside the long solenoid where the magnetic field is uniform, so motion does not change the flux. Use only the time-varying flux term e=−dtdΦ.
A common mistake is to use the solenoid radius instead of the loop radius while calculating area. The flux through the loop depends on the loop area, so use A=π(10−2)2, not π(2×10−2)2.
Students often confuse peak current with r.m.s. current. After finding i0=Re0, convert to rms using irms=2i0. Do not compare the peak current directly with 2αμA.
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