Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 33 - Electromagnetic Induction - Conceptual Questions - Page 995: 1

Answer

From left to right.

Work Step by Step

We have, in our case, two ways to figure out the direction of the current in the wire. The easiest way is to use the right-hand rule and assuming that there is a current in the wire and the force exerted by the magnetic field is pushing the wire upward, as shown by the green arrow in the figure below. Or we can use Lenz's law. By the right-hand rule, we can see that the current had to be from left to right which means that the current inside the loop is counterclockwise. By Lenz's law, the induced current will be created to oppose the decrease or the increase of the magnetic flux inside the loop. And since the loop area decreases, the magnetic flux decreases as well $(\Phi_m=\vec A\cdot \vec B\Rightarrow A\propto{\Phi_m})$. So the induced current had to increase the flux by creating an extra magnetic field in the same direction as the original flux. Hence the current direction in the circuit must be counterclockwise.
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