Many students are unable to predict whether a potential difference will arise (‘be induced’) between two points of a wire that is moving in a described way in a magnetic field.
Misconception
Resources to Address This
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Electromagnetic Induction (16-19)
Source - TAP/ Fields/ Electromagnetism/ Episode 414 ; Electromagnetic induction
Students will already have ideas about electromagnetic induction. In this resource, your task is to develop a picture of induction in which it is the cutting of lines of flux by a conductor that leads to an induced EMF or current.
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Cutting a magnetic field with a wire (11-16)
Source - Practical physics/ Electromagnetic induction/ ...
Students should previously have inserted a magnet into a coil and measured the e.m.f. generated. This is a simpler version showing first of all only one coil (or loop) of wire.
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References
The following studies have documented this student thinking:
- Maloney, D. P.; O'Kuma, T. L.; Hieggelke, C. J. and Van Heuvelen, A. () Surveying students' conceptual knowledge of electricity and magnetism. American Journal of Physics, 69 (S1),
S12-S23.
- Thong, W. M. and Gunstone, R. () Some Student Conceptions of Electromagnetic Induction. Research in Science Education, 38 (1),
31-44.
- Guth, J. () An in-depth study of two individual students' understanding of electric and magnetic fields. Research in Science Education, 25 (4),
479-490.
- Zuza, K.; De Cock, M.; van Kampen, P.; Bollen, L. and Guisasola, J. () University students’ understanding of the electromotive force concept in the context of electromagnetic induction. European Journal of Physics, 37 (6),
065709.