Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2019 / ib / Paper 2 / 18A / Solution

For a moving circuit, Faraday's law states that the electromotive forceequals $-d{\Phi }_B/dt$, where ${\Phi }_B={\int }_S\mathbf{B}\cdot d\mathbf{S}$ is the magnetic flux through any spanning surface. Choose the upward normal. The horizontal square hasso Ohm's law gives the induced currentwith positive current taken counterclockwise from above.

On the edge $x=a$, $d\mathbf{\ell }=dy{\mathbf{e}}_y$. The magnetic force on a current-carrying wire is $d\mathbf{F}=I,d\mathbf{\ell }\times \mathbf{B}$, henceThe ratio of the horizontal to vertical magnitudes is $2|z|/a$, so the directed force makes angle ${\tan }^{-1}(2z/a)$ with the vertical, with the sign fixing the horizontal side.

The horizontal forces on opposite edges cancel, while all four vertical contributions add:This is an electromagnetic drag force opposing the motion, as required by Lenz's law. Including gravity givesAt the terminal velocity, $\ddot{z}=0$, and the constant downward speed has magnitude