Chapter 20: Problem 39
A 2 -m-long copper pipe is held vertically. When a marble is dropped down the pipe, it falls through in about 0.7 s. A magnet of similar size and shape takes much longer to fall through the pipe. (a) As the magnet is falling through the pipe with its north pole below its south pole, what direction do currents flow around the pipe above the magnet? Below the magnet (CW or CCW as viewed from the top)? (b) Sketch a graph of the speed of the magnet as a function of time. [Hint: What would the graph look like for a marble falling through honey?]
Short Answer
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Question: Determine the direction of the induced currents above and below the falling magnet when the magnet's north pole is below it, and describe the shape of the graph representing the speed of the magnet as a function of time.
Answer: The induced current above the magnet will flow counterclockwise (CCW), and the induced current below the magnet will flow clockwise (CW) when viewed from the top. The graph representing the speed of the magnet as a function of time will be a gradually increasing concave curve that levels off at a constant value for the terminal velocity.