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Write the wire diameter as $d_w$ to distinguish it from other geometric labels. Its cross-sectional area is $A_w=\pi d_w^2/4$, and the total wire length is $4a$. From the electrical resistivity, its electrical resistance isWhile the loop straddles the boundary, let $h$ be the height of each vertical side remaining in the magnetic field. The linked magnetic flux has magnitude $Bah$, with $\dot{h}=-v$. Faraday's law therefore gives $|\mathcal{E}|=Bav$. Neglecting the loop's self-inductance, Ohm's law givesThe into-page magnetic flux is decreasing, so Lenz's law requires a clockwise electric current as viewed in the diagram. If the loop is wholly inside a uniform magnetic field, or wholly outside it, its magnetic flux is constant and this induced electromotive force is zero. During a rapid transient one should instead solve $L\dot{I}+RI=Bav$; at the assumed steady speed the same boxed relation holds.

Faraday's law of induction gives the electromotive force $\mathcal{E}=-d{\Phi }_B/dt$. For a fixed circuit, $\mathcal{E}=\oint \mathbf{E}\cdot d\mathbf{l}$; for moving material wire, include the motional term $\mathbf{u}\times \mathbf{B}$ in that line integral. Lenz's law fixes the sign: the induced response opposes the change of linked flux, rather than necessarily opposing the field itself.

For the long solenoid, Ampère's law gives $B\simeq {\mu }_{0}nI$ inside and negligible exterior field away from the ends. With $N=nD$ turns and area $\pi a^2$, the linked flux is $N{\Phi }_B={\mu }_0{n}^{2}D\pi a^{2}I$. Hence the self-inductance isThis assumes $D\gg a$, closely spaced turns, negligible end fringing and an air core with relative magnetic permeability close to one. A finite core permeability or significant fringing changes the answer.

Use the coordinates in 8. At downhill speed $v$, the moving bar has $\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{B}=-Bv\cos \varphi \hat{\mathbf{b}}$. The electromotive force and induced electric current are thereforeHere $I$ is positive along $-\hat{\mathbf{b}}$ across the sliding bar, then returns through the rails and resistor. This direction makes the magnetic force oppose downhill motion, as required by Lenz's law. The factor $\cos \varphi$ is essential: only the component of magnetic field normal to the rail plane threads the circuit. Rail and bar electrical resistances and circuit self-inductance are neglected relative to the stated large $R$ model.

Faraday's law of induction states that the oriented electromotive force around a closed material circuit is minus the rate of change of its linked magnetic flux:The surface orientation and circuit direction obey the right-hand rule. The minus sign expresses Lenz's law: the induced electric current, when allowed to flow, produces a magnetic field opposing the change of linked magnetic flux. For a stationary circuit this reduces to $\oint \mathbf{E}\cdot d\mathbf{\ell }=-d{\Phi }_B/dt$.

The source's “Lorenz force” is the Lorentz force, $q(\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{B})$. A wire element of cross-section $A_c$ contains $n{A}_{c}d\ell$ carriers of charge $q$ with drift velocity ${\mathbf{v}}_d$. Adding their magnetic forces and using $I=nq{A}_c{v}_d$ givesfor a straight wire in a uniform magnetic field. The length vector follows conventional electric current, irrespective of the carrier sign.

For the unlabelled upward-motion request, define $\hat{\mathbf{t}}=(\cos \varphi ,0,-\sin \varphi )$ down the slope, $\hat{\mathbf{b}}=(0,1,0)$ across the rails and $\hat{\mathbf{n}}=(\sin \varphi ,0,\cos \varphi )$ out of their plane. Choose the vertical magnetic field as $\mathbf{B}=B\hat{\mathbf{z}}$. An electric current $I$ across the bar in direction $-\hat{\mathbf{b}}$ gives a horizontal magnetic force $-IBs\hat{\mathbf{x}}$. The other forces are weight $-mg\hat{\mathbf{z}}$ and the rail normal force $N\hat{\mathbf{n}}$. Uniform upward velocity requiresConsequentlyEach symmetric rail supplies half of $N$. The electric current must make $I\mathbf{L}\times \mathbf{B}$ point horizontally toward the uphill side; for the coordinates just defined it flows along $-\hat{\mathbf{b}}$. Reversing the vertical magnetic field reverses this current direction. The external supply must maintain that electric current against the motional electromotive force during ascent. For $\cos \varphi =0$, no finite horizontal magnetic force can support uniform motion along the vertical rails.

Faraday's law of induction states that the induced electromotive force around an oriented closed circuit equals the negative rate of change of linked magnetic flux. For a stationary circuit,Here $\mathbf{E}$ is electric field, $\mathbf{B}$ is magnetic flux density, and the oriented surface $A$ has the circuit as its boundary. For $N$ identical series turns, replace ${\Phi }_B$ by the total flux linkage $N{\Phi }_B$. Lenz's law supplies the sign: an induced electric current opposes the change of linked magnetic flux, in agreement with conservation of energy.

If the wire moves with local velocity $\mathbf{u}$, the more general electromotive force includes the magnetic Lorentz force per unit electric charge:The boundary and surface orientations in both expressions are related by the right-hand rule.

For a fixed circuit, Faraday's law of induction readsSurface orientation and contour direction obey the right-hand rule. The negative sign is Lenz's law: a passive induced current acts against the flux change, consistently with energy conservation. The induced electric field generally has nonzero curl and cannot be represented by one single-valued electrostatic potential.

For a material circuit moving with local velocity $\mathbf{u}$, the measured electromotive force includes the magnetic Lorentz force on its carriers:This distinguishes transformer induction in a stationary coil from motional induction in a changing circuit. A straight sliding rod of length $l$ moving perpendicular to itself and to uniform $B$ has $|\mathcal{E}|=Blv$. With circuit resistance $R$, the electrical power $(Blv{)}^2/R$ equals the external mechanical power needed to oppose magnetic drag. An ideal transformer gives $V_2/V_1=N_2/N_1$ in magnitude from common flux linkage; real leakage, resistance and core losses limit that simple result. pickup coils measure flux change rather than an absolute static magnetic field, so integration and a reference state are needed to recover a field history.

In microscopic SI form, Maxwell's equations couple charge density $\rho$ and current density $\mathbf{J}$ to electric and magnetic fields:Gauss's electric law expresses electric flux from charge and reduces to the inverse-square Coulomb field for a point charge. Gauss's magnetic law gives zero net magnetic flux through every closed surface; magnetic field lines do not begin or end on magnetic monopoles in this theory.

Faraday's induction law says changing magnetic flux produces a circulating electric field. For a fixed loop, its circulation is minus the rate of change of enclosed magnetic flux, explaining the sign of induction and Lenz's law. For example, changing a primary coil's electric current changes the flux through a stationary secondary coil and induces a voltage. A moving wire also has the magnetic part of the Lorentz force on its charges; the fixed-loop field equation and the full motional-emf calculation must be distinguished.

The Ampère-Maxwell law relates magnetic circulation to conduction current and displacement current. The latter is essential around a charging capacitor: a surface cutting the lead and another passing through the gap must predict the same circulation. Taking the divergence givesusing Gauss's electric law. Charge conservation therefore fixes the consistency of the time-dependent equations. In matter, the equivalent macroscopic equations use $\mathbf{D}$ and $\mathbf{H}$, free sources and constitutive relations. The Lorentz force density $\rho \mathbf{E}+\mathbf{J}\times \mathbf{B}$ describes exchange of momentum with charges.

In source-free vacuum, take the curl of Faraday's law and use $\nabla \times (\nabla \times \mathbf{E})=\nabla (\nabla \cdot \mathbf{E})-{\nabla }^2\mathbf{E}$. Both fields satisfyFor a plane wave, $\omega =ck$, $\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{E}=\mathbf{k}\cdot \mathbf{B}=0$ and $\mathbf{B}=\hat{\mathbf{k}}\times \mathbf{E}/c$. The fields are transverse, mutually perpendicular and in phase. Their energy density and energy flux areThis is Poynting's theorem: field energy is transported and can do work on matter. Electromagnetic radiation is a propagating, energy-carrying solution of the coupled electric and magnetic field equations.

For a moving loop, Faraday's law of induction is $\mathcal{E}=\oint (\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{u}\times \mathbf{B})\cdot d\mathbf{l}=-d{\Phi }_B/dt$, where $\mathbf{u}$ is the local wire velocity, ${\Phi }_B=\int \mathbf{B}\cdot d\mathbf{S}$, and the oriented boundary and surface follow the right-hand rule. For a fixed loop the motional term vanishes. Lenz's law is the minus sign: the induced response opposes the change of linked flux, not necessarily the applied field itself.

Let $s$ increase downhill and choose positive current $I$ to produce an uphill magnetic force. The normal component of the imposed field is $B\cos \theta$, so the changing external flux is $Bl\cos \theta s$. With initially zero current and no resistance, conservation of flux linkage gives $LI=Bl\cos \theta s$. The rod feels gravity vertically downward, a rail reaction normal to the slope, and magnetic force of magnitude $IlB$ horizontally uphill. Its downhill component is $-IlB\cos \theta$; its normal component presses the rod into the rails, giving $N=mg\cos \theta +IlB\sin \theta$.

The inductive oscillation of a sliding rod on inclined rails follows fromThe magnetic force is not itself parallel to the rails. Defining ${\omega }_B=Bl\cos \theta /\sqrt{mL}$ and $s_e=mg\sin \theta /(m{\omega }_B^2)$, release from rest givesThe first stop occurs at $t=\pi /{\omega }_B$; the rod then returns and oscillates between $0$ and $2s_e$. At $s_e$ the force is zero but the speed is maximal. Mechanical potential energy is reversibly exchanged with kinetic energy and $L{I}^2/2$; a perfectly conducting circuit provides no damping.

For the resistive long-time drift of an inductive sliding rod, with loop resistance $R>0$, useJoule heating damps the transient oscillation. On sufficiently long rails the asymptotic motion is steady sliding, not permanent rest:The zero-resistance model has persistent oscillations; its late-time limit cannot be interchanged with taking $R\to 0$. These results assume $B\cos \theta \ne 0$, smooth contacts, negligible rod self-inductance and constant geometry.

A current in one circuit links magnetic flux through another. It produces magnetic flux linkage through another. With fixed geometry and a linear reciprocal medium, choose consistent winding orientations and writeThe shared coefficient is mutual inductance; reversal of one winding reverses its sign. Faraday's law of induction gives the mutual induced emf ${\mathcal{E}}_2=-M{\dot{I}}_1$ for fixed $M$. The minus sign expresses Lenz's law.

The magnetic energy isNonnegative energy for every current pair requires $|M|\le \sqrt{L_1{L}_2}$, motivating the coupling coefficient $M/\sqrt{L_1{L}_2}$. Transformers use strong common flux to exchange energy between circuits; leakage flux reduces coupling. A shared core increases linkage, but saturation, hysteresis and eddy-current losses limit the linear description. A moving geometry also contributes $-I_1\dot{M}$ to the mutual emf.

Electromagnetic induction produces an electromotive force when magnetic flux linkage changes. For an oriented moving loop,For a stationary loop this reduces to Faraday's law of induction, $\nabla \times \mathbf{E}=-{\partial }_t\mathbf{B}$. Motion in a static field can instead supply the motional term. Lenz's law gives the minus sign: the induced electric current opposes the flux change, with the required electrical energy supplied by mechanical work or the field source.

For linear fixed-geometry circuits, flux linkages satisfy ${\Lambda }_1=L_1{I}_1+M{I}_2$ and ${\Lambda }_2=M{I}_1+L_2{I}_2$. Self-inductance gives ${\mathcal{E}}_1=-L_1{\dot{I}}_1$; mutual inductance gives the additional term $-M{\dot{I}}_2$. Reciprocity gives the same mutual coefficient for both circuits, with its sign determined by winding orientation. The stored field energy isThe bound follows from nonnegative energy for arbitrary electric currents. In a linear medium the equivalent field expression is $W_B=\frac{1}{2}\int \mathbf{B}\cdot \mathbf{H}dV$.

An ideal electrical transformer links both windings with one changing core flux, giving $V_1/V_2=N_1/N_2$ for corresponding voltage magnitudes. A loaded secondary drives an opposing magnetomotive force and increases primary electric current; ideally $I_1/I_2=N_2/N_1$ and input and output powers agree. A electrical transformer exchanges voltage for electric current, not for extra power. Real devices have winding resistance, leakage flux, eddy-current and hysteresis losses, and finite magnetizing electric current. A steady DC input gives no continuing secondary voltage after the switching transient and may cause excessive primary electric current or core saturation.

The varying magnetic flux through the ring induces an electromotive force by Faraday's law of induction. Its direction follows Lenz's law. With solenoid current $I_s$, ring current $I_r$, ring self-inductance $L_r$, electrical resistance $R$, and mutual inductance $M(z)$,The ring sits in a nonuniform magnetic field: coupling decreases above the solenoid, so $M>0$ and $M^{\prime }<0$ with a common orientation for the two windings. For $I_s=I_0\cos \omega t$, the in-phase part of the induced ring current is negative:Thus alternating-current induction levitation can balance the ring's weight when $⟨F_z⟩=mg$. A falling mean lifting force with height supplies vertical stability. In the strongly inductive limit the two currents are almost opposite: the ring repels the solenoid during both half cycles. Finite self-inductance matters; an ideal purely resistive loop would carry a current exactly in quadrature with $I_s$ and give zero average force in this model. The source supplies the Joule heating in the real ring, and any mechanical work while it rises.

The differential form of Faraday's law of induction isBy Stokes theorem, for a stationary oriented circuit it becomes $\mathcal{E}=\oint \mathbf{E}\cdot d\mathbf{\ell }=-d{\Phi }_B/dt$, where ${\Phi }_B=\int \mathbf{B}\cdot d\mathbf{S}$ is magnetic flux and $\mathcal{E}$ is electromotive force. Circuit orientation and surface normal obey the right-hand rule. Lenz's law is the physical meaning of the minus sign: the induced current's magnetic field opposes the change in linked magnetic flux. For a moving circuit, the force per unit electric charge is $\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{B}$, and its line integral is the corresponding electromotive force. Motion through a static magnetic field can therefore induce a voltage even when ${\partial }_t\mathbf{B}=0$.

Let $\theta$ be the wire's angle from the downward vertical, $r=L\sin \theta$, and choose $\mathbf{\omega }$ and $\mathbf{B}$ upward, as in the figure. The motional term along the wire has radial component $B\omega s$ at cylindrical radius $s$. In steady electrical equilibrium, integrating from the grounded axis to the bob givesThe Lorentz force on this positive electric charge is radially outward. Its ratio to the required centripetal term is $QB/(m\omega )\lesssim C{B}^2{L}^2/(2m)$, so the stated heavy-bob condition makes its effect on the zero-field conical pendulum geometry negligible. With wire tension $T_w$, $T_w\cos \theta =mg$ and $T_w\sin \theta =m{\omega }^{2}r$, giving $\cos \theta =g/({\omega }^{2}L)$. Hence the magnetically charged conical pendulum hasA nonzero-radius orbit requires ${\omega }^{2}L>g$. Reversing the sense of rotation or the magnetic field reverses the sign of $Q_0$.

The response to the added electric field requires an electrical convention. In the usual mechanical approximation, treat the pre-existing electric charge as $Q_0$, include its upward electric force $Q_{0}E$, and neglect all magnetic-force feedback. ThenThis predicts an increased radius for $Q_{0}E>0$. It is the result when the newly applied field is used only as a probe force on the original electric charge.

There is a first-order qualification if the bob remains electrically connected to the grounded pivot and the uniform added field's potential is included consistently. Put $s=\cos \theta$ and set the external electric potential to zero at the pivot. The external potential at the bob is then $ELs$, so the charging relation and full force balance becomeThe second equation follows by eliminating the wire tension between vertical balance and radial balance, including the outward magnetic Lorentz force. Expanding both equations to first order in $E$, and to leading order in $C{B}^2{L}^2/m$, with $s_0=g/({\omega }^{2}L)$, givesThe extra factor arises from the added field changing $Q$ by $-CEL{s}_0$ and therefore changing the radial magnetic force. That term is linear in $E$ too; the heavy-bob assumption alone does not justify retaining $Q_{0}E$ while dropping it. The two expressions refer to the two electrical approximations just specified. The expansion requires a small change relative to the initial radius and is nonuniform as that radius tends to zero.

For an electrical measurement, route the grounded connection through a sensitive electrometer operated near zero input voltage, and integrate the charging electric current when $B$ or $\omega$ is changed. Starting with the field off, the transferred electric charge is $Q_0$ in this ideal capacitance model. Reversing $B$ separates the induced signal from offsets. Alternatively, isolate the charged bob briefly and measure its electric potential with a high-input-impedance electrometer, accounting for the instrument's extra capacitance and for the fact that isolation changes the electrical boundary condition.

Faraday's law for the moving loop is $\mathcal{E}=-d{\Phi }_B/dt$, equivalently $\mathcal{E}=\oint (\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{B})\cdot d\mathbf{\ell }$ for its moving circuit. Lenz's law fixes its orientation: the induced current opposes the change in linked magnetic flux. The minus sign represents this opposition, not opposition to the existing field in every phase of motion.

Unroll the small loop's motion locally into translation to the right at speed $v\simeq b\omega$, where $b$ is the radius marked in the source figure. Take the imposed field into the page. On entry the linked into-page flux increases, so the current is counterclockwise. The leading vertical side carries current upward and feels a leftward magnetic force $iBa$. The in-field parts of the horizontal sides feel equal opposite vertical forces; the trailing side is outside the field. On exit the current is clockwise. The trailing vertical side is now the one in the field and again carries upward current, producing leftward drag; the horizontal forces reverse and still cancel. When the entire loop is within the uniform region, its flux is constant, so $i=0$ and every side force is zero under the stated negligible-self-inductance approximation.

For a loop crossing a magnetic field boundary, overlap changes at rate $av$, henceFor approximately constant speed this gives two negative rectangular force pulses of duration $a/v$, separated by a short zero-force interval while the loop is fully inside. Their time integral isThe quoted impulse is its magnitude; this impulse of magnetic braking opposes the motion. In fact its independence of speed remains exact within this locally translational sharp-boundary model even if speed changes: each crossing contributes $-(B^2{a}^2/R)\int vdt=-(B^2{a}^2/R)\int dx$ over distance $a$.

Write the system's moment of inertia as $\mathcal{I}$. Since $d{K}_{\mathrm{rot}}/dt=\tau \omega =F_{x}b\omega =F_{x}v$, the local energy balance during overlap isThus rotational energy lost is exactly resistive heat in this model. At nearly constant $v$, each pass givesFor a finite speed reduction the exact relation is the integral of $i(t{)}^{2}R$, rather than initial speed times impulse; the equality of work and heating still holds. Fringing fields, loop curvature and finite self-inductance smooth the ideal pulses. A practical user control is to vary the electromagnet current, hence $B$: braking scales as $B^2$.

Mutual inductance expresses how a changing electric current in one circuit induces an electromotive force in another. Choose winding orientations and define their linked magnetic fluxes byFor a reciprocal linear magnetic system, the same $M$ appears in both expressions. Faraday's law of induction gives ${\mathcal{E}}_2=-Md{I}_1/dt$ when the secondary electric current does not itself change. The sign depends on winding orientation and is consistent with Lenz's law.

The stored magnetic energy isIts nonnegativity for arbitrary electric currents requires $M^2\le L_1{L}_2$. Strong coupling makes $|M|$ approach $\sqrt{L_1{L}_2}$; flux leakage makes it smaller.

An ideal electrical transformer has two windings linked by the same time-varying core magnetic flux. The induced winding voltages are proportional to their turn counts. For appropriately chosen terminal polarities,The electric current convention in the power relation takes primary power into the device and secondary power out to the load. Consequently a load electrical impedance $Z_L$ appears at the primary as $Z_{\mathrm{in}}=(N_1/N_2{)}^2{Z}_L$. A larger secondary voltage therefore comes with a smaller available secondary electric current, rather than extra energy.

A steady direct electric current produces no sustained transformer action after its switching transient. Practical departures from the ideal include winding electrical resistance, leakage magnetic flux, finite magnetizing electric current, core saturation, eddy currents and magnetic hysteresis losses.

Induction and its sign. The Maxwell-Faraday equation is $\nabla \times \mathbf{E}=-{\partial }_t\mathbf{B}$. For a fixed loop, Stokes theorem givesThis is Faraday's law of induction. The orientation of the surface normal and positive circulation are linked by the right-hand rule. The minus sign is Lenz's law: the induced current's linked flux opposes the imposed flux change, rather than reinforcing it.

The inductive current. Let the loop normal make angle $\theta$ with the applied field, with positive current defined by that normal. The external magnetic flux is ${\Phi }_{\mathrm{ext}}=A{B}_0\sin \omega t\cos \theta$. With negligible electrical resistance, the circuit equation is $L\dot{I}=-{\dot{\Phi }}_{\mathrm{ext}}$, so total linked flux $LI+{\Phi }_{\mathrm{ext}}$ is constant. For zero initial trapped flux,The printed result needs this initial-flux assumption; in general an additional constant current is allowed. The units are amperes because a weber divided by a henry is an ampere.

Current and forces at one instant. Take $B>0$ along $+x$ and $0<\theta <\pi /2$, so $I<0$ relative to the chosen normal. The loop magnetic dipole moment $\mathbf{\mu }=IA\mathbf{n}$ therefore has a component opposite the applied field. Each wire element experiences Lorentz force $d\mathbf{F}=Id\mathbf{\ell }\times \mathbf{B}$. Opposite sides have equal and opposite forces, giving zero net force in the uniform field but a nonzero couple.

The horizontal top and bottom wire segments also experience equal and opposite vertical forces. They cancel without adding torque about the vertical rotation axis; the displayed force pair supplies that torque.

Average torque. Since $\mathbf{\tau }=\mathbf{\mu }\times \mathbf{B}$, its generalized component for increasing $\theta$ is ${\tau }_{\theta }=-IAB\sin \theta$. Substitution givesand, using $⟨{\sin }^2\omega t⟩=1/2$,The orientation torque on a flux-conserving loop drives its normal away from the field for the stated initial angle. Its magnitude has units joules, or newton metres.

Free motion with large inertia. Write $J$ for the mechanical moment of inertia. If its orientation changes little during each field cycle, the slow equation is $J\ddot{\theta }=⟨{\tau }_{\theta }⟩$, with effective potentialThe stable orientation is $\theta =\pi /2$, where the loop plane contains the applied field. Released from rest between $0$ and $\pi /2$, the loop accelerates toward that orientation, overshoots and librates around it. In the leading averaged, undamped model its turning angles are ${\theta }_i$ and $\pi -{\theta }_i$. It does not settle without a dissipative mechanism. For small librations the squared angular frequency is $A^2{B}_0^2/(2LJ)$.

Negligible inductance and finite resistance. Now the current is proportional to the induced electromotive force, not to the flux. Including slow rotation,The rotational damping of a resistive loop in an oscillating field follows fromAt fixed orientation, the first term alternates at $2\omega$ and has zero mean. The loop can therefore rock slightly, but there is no leading mean aligning torque like that in the inductive case. Slow rotation giveswhich opposes motion and produces Joule heating. Initial-phase transients can initiate motion, and the instantaneous torque is not zero. This description retains the large-inertia, slow-motion approximation; it does not assert an exact stationary solution at every starting angle.

For a stationary closed circuit, Faraday's law of induction isThe loop orientation and magnetic-flux normal obey the right-hand convention. For a moving material circuit, the emf is instead $\oint (\mathbf{E}+\mathbf{v}\times \mathbf{B})\cdot d\mathbf{\ell }$, with the same negative derivative of the flux through the moving circuit. The additional magnetic force term accounts for motional emf.

Lenz's law expresses the minus sign physically: an induced current opposes the change in flux that produces it. It does not always oppose the field itself. Increasing positive flux drives a current producing negative flux; decreasing it reverses that response. A straight conducting rod of length l moving across a perpendicular uniform field has emf magnitude Blv. A resistive return circuit then develops a magnetic braking force, and the supplied mechanical power equals Joule heating in the ideal steady limit. This connects induction with conservation of energy. ^[ref]

Faraday's law relates induced electromotive force to the rate of change of magnetic flux linkage. For a coil with $N$ turns and a consistent right-hand orientation,Flux can change through field variation or circuit motion. Lenz's law is the minus sign: the induced current's field opposes the flux change, consistent with energy conservation. It opposes the change rather than necessarily opposing the original field.

For a linear fixed-geometry inductor, $N{\Phi }_B=LI$ and the self-induced electromotive force is $-LdI/dt$. The passive terminal voltage drop is instead $V=LdI/dt$. The stored magnetic energy isInductance is measured in henries. Transformers use mutual inductance: changing one winding's current induces an electromotive force in another.

Electromagnetic induction is the production of an electromotive force by changing magnetic flux or by moving a conductor through a magnetic field. With the loop and surface orientations related by the right-hand rule, Faraday's law of induction isHere $\mathbf{v}$ is the local wire velocity. For a stationary loop, the induced electric field can have a nonzero closed-path integral; its differential form is $\nabla \times \mathbf{E}=-\partial \mathbf{B}/\partial t$. For a straight rod moving perpendicularly to itself and to a uniform magnetic field, the motional electromotive force has magnitude $B\ell v$.

The minus sign expresses Lenz's law: the induced electric current produces a magnetic field that opposes the change in linked magnetic flux. Pulling a conducting loop through a magnetic field therefore requires work against an electromagnetic resisting force; that work supplies the resulting heat or stored energy.

For an inductor with constant self-inductance, $\mathcal{E}=-LdI/dt$ and its stored magnetic energy is $L{I}^2/2$. A changing electric current in one coil can induce an electromotive force in another through mutual inductance, the operating principle of a electrical transformer. These examples connect the flux law, the direction of the response and conservation of energy.

Faraday's law of induction relates an induced electromotive force to the rate of change of magnetic flux. Choose a positive orientation around a loop and its associated surface normal by the right-hand rule. For a stationary conducting loop,Unlike an electrostatic field, the induced electric field generally has nonzero curl; the differential form is $\nabla \times \mathbf{E}=-\partial \mathbf{B}/\partial t$. For a moving circuit, magnetic flux transport for a moving circuit includes the magnetic Lorentz force on the charges:where $\mathbf{u}$ is the local wire velocity. Thus changing the field or moving a conductor can produce induction.

The minus sign is Lenz's law: an induced electric current, when a closed conducting path permits it, produces a magnetic field opposing the change of linked flux. It need not oppose the original field itself. For example, increasing flux through a loop produces a current tending to reduce that increase; decreasing the same flux reverses the current. The opposition is consistent with conservation of energy: external mechanical or electrical work is needed to maintain a change against its inductive reaction.

For a coil of $N$ turns, define the magnetic flux linkage $\Lambda ={\sum }_{j=1}^N{\Phi }_j$, reducing to $N{\Phi }_B$ when every turn links the same flux. For fixed geometry and a linear magnetic response, self-inductance $L$ is defined by $\Lambda =LI$, and the coil's induced electromotive force isThe corresponding terminal voltage drop, with the passive sign convention, is $V_L=LdI/dt$. It opposes changes in electric current; it does not require the current itself to vanish.

Building the current from zero requires power $P=I{V}_L=LIdI/dt$. Integrating gives the energy stored by an ideal inductor:This energy is stored in the magnetic field and can be returned when the current falls. In a series RL circuit driven by a constant voltage $V_0$, Kirchhoff's voltage law gives $L\dot{I}+RI=V_0$. Starting with zero current, $I=(V_0/R)(1-e^{-tR/L})$, with time constant $L/R$. This makes the resistance to rapid current changes directly observable. Two coils also have mutual inductance: changing primary current induces secondary electromotive force $-Md{I}_1/dt$ with a polarity determined by the chosen winding orientations, the principle behind a transformer.

Choose a positive unit normal $\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ to the loop and choose positive circulation by the right-hand rule. Write the applied magnetic field as $\mathbf{B}(t)=B_0\cos (\omega t)\hat{\mathbf{b}}$, where $\hat{\mathbf{b}}\cdot \hat{\mathbf{n}}=\cos \theta$. Because the field is uniform, the external magnetic flux isFaraday's law of induction gives the induced electromotive force, and Ohm's law gives the current through the loop's electrical resistance:This is the induced current in a tilted resistive loop with the self-generated magnetic-flux contribution neglected as requested. The factor has units $\mathrm{Wb}{\mathrm{s}}^{-1}{\mathrm{\Omega }}^{-1}=\mathrm{A}$. A field parallel to the loop plane has $\cos \theta =0$ and induces no current in this uniform-field model.

For $\cos \theta >0$, the initial normal flux is positive. At $\omega t=\pi /2$, the external magnetic field is instantaneously zero but its normal component is decreasing, so $d{\Phi }_B/dt<0$ and $I>0$. The current is counterclockwise when viewed from the positive-normal side. Its own magnetic field points along $+\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ through the loop, preserving the initial normal flux in accordance with Lenz's law.

For $\cos \theta <0$, both circulation and the induced normal-field direction reverse. The current follows the rate of change of magnetic flux; the quarter-cycle current is nonzero even though the external field itself vanishes then.