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When an additional loop is added to a generator the magnetic flux through the loops does not change yet the current increases. This seems counter-intuitive and has been described as 'non-conservative.' What causes this unexpected phenomena known as Faraday's Law?

Qmechanic
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Dale
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1 Answers1

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Faraday's law doesn't say that the current changes; the current is whatever it is – it is treated as an independent variable here.

Instead, it says that if we keep the current fixed, the voltage – more precisely the electromotive force (EMF) – is proportional to the number of loops (times the time derivative of the magnetic flux through one loop). That's because the EMF is the potential difference and the potential differences from each loop simply add: $${\mathcal E} = V_N - V_0 = (V_N-V_{N-1})+(V_{N-1}-V_{N-2})+\dots + (V_1 - V_0)$$ Here, $V$ is meant to be the electrostatic potential. If all $N$ terms on the right hand side are the same, you may just write the right hand side as $N$ times one term, therefore the direct proportionality.

Equivalently, you may imagine that the collection of $N$ loops is one convoluted loop encircling a complicated surface that looks like $N$ disk-shaped surfaces on top of each other. In all cases, you will get $$ \mathcal{E} = -N {{d\Phi_B} \over dt} $$

Luboš Motl
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