Faraday’s Law: Alternating Current
Recommended for grades 11–16.
Introduction
The focus of the previous experiment is the induced emf in a coil produced by a magnet moving through the coil. In this experiment, you will examine the relationship between an alternating current in a primary coil and the induced emf in a secondary.
Objectives
In this experiment, you will
- Collect current vs. time and potential vs. time data for a pair of solenoids.
- Explain how the magnetic flux through the secondary solenoid depends on the current in the primary.
- Relate the shape of the graph of potential vs. time in the secondary to that of current vs. time in the primary.
- Calculate the induced emf produced by alternating current in the primary and compare this to experimental findings.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
No standards correlations for this experiment.

