TABLE OF CONTENTS
o AIM OF THE PROJECT

o INTRODUCTION
o PRINCIPAL
o APPARATUS REQUIRED
o THEORY
o MATHEMATICAL DERIVATIONS
o WORKING/CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
o OBSERVATION
o SOURCES OF ERROR
o PRECAUTIONS
o RESULT
o BIBLIOGRAPHY
INVESTIGATING THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE SELF-

INDUCTANCE OF A COIL IN SERIES WITH A
RESISTOR/BULB IN AN AC CIRCUIT
1
AIM OF THE PROJECT
The objective of this project is to study the influence of various factors on the
self-inductance of a coil, and how this affects the behaviour of an AC circuit
when the coil is connected in series with a resistor or a bulb. Specifically, the
project will investigate:
 The impact of the number of turns in the coil.
 The effect of different core materials (iron, air, etc.).
 The influence of the cross-sectional area of the coil.
 How the length of the coil affects the inductance.
INTRODUCTION
In alternating current (AC) circuits, inductance plays a crucial role in determining the
behaviour of electrical components such as coils and resistors. When a coil is placed in
series with a resistor or a bulb in an AC circuit, the property of self-inductance
becomes significant. Self-inductance is the phenomenon where a changing current
induces an electromotive force (EMF) within the coil itself, opposing the change in
current. This induced EMF, known as back EMF, is a result of Lenz's Law, which states
that the direction of the induced current will oppose the cause that produced it.
The inductance of a coil depends on several factors, such as:
 The number of turns in the coil.
 The core material used (air core, iron core, etc.).
 The cross-sectional area of the coil.
 The length of the coil.
This project aims to explore how these factors affect the self-inductance of a coil when
placed in series with a resistor or a bulb in an AC circuit.
2
PRINCIPAL
The principle behind this investigation is based on Faraday's Law of

Electromagnetic Induction and Lenz's Law. According to Faraday's Law,
a changing magnetic flux through a coil induces an EMF (electromotive
force) across it. Lenz's Law states that the induced EMF will oppose the
change in current that caused it.
In an AC circuit, the current is constantly changing direction, which creates

a time-varying magnetic field around the coil. This time-varying magnetic
field induces a back EMF in the coil, which opposes the flow of current. The
amount of opposition is determined by the coil’s inductance, which is
influenced by factors like the number of turns, core material, and coil
dimensions.
When a resistor or bulb is placed in series with the coil, the self-inductance
of the coil affects the overall current in the circuit, which can be observed
through the brightness of the bulb or the current flowing through the
resistor.
APPARATUS REQUIRED
 Copper wire (for winding the coil)
 Iron core (or an air core for comparison)
 AC power supply (50 Hz frequency)
 Resistor or incandescent bulb
 Ammeter (to measure current)
 Voltmeter (to measure voltage)
 Oscilloscope (optional, to visualize the waveforms)
 Multimeter (to measure resistance and inductance)
3
 LCR meter (to directly measure the inductance)
 Breadboard (optional, for easy circuit connections)
 Connecting wires
 Rheostat (variable resistor for varying circuit resistance)
 Measuring scale (to measure the dimensions of the coil)
THEORY
Self-Inductance of a Coil
Self-inductance (L) is a property of a coil that measures its ability to oppose

changes in current due to the magnetic field it generates. The induced back
EMF (E) is proportional to the rate of change of current (di/dt), as per the
relation:
4
Inductive Reactance
In an AC circuit, the opposition offered by an inductor to the flow of

alternating current is called inductive reactance (XLwhich depends on the
frequency of the AC source (f) and the inductance of the coil (L). It is given
by the formula:
5
MATHEMATICAL DERIVATIONS
6
WORKING/CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
Setting Up the Circuit:
 Connect the coil in series with the resistor or bulb.
 Use the AC power supply to provide alternating current to the circuit.
Measuring Initial Values:
 Measure the inductance of the coil using an LCR meter.
 Record the current through the circuit and the voltage across the
resistor or bulb.
Varying the Factors:
 Change the number of turns: Add or remove turns from the coil and
observe the change in inductance and current.
 Change the core material: Replace the air core with an iron core
and observe the changes.
7
 Vary the cross-sectional area: Use different coil diameters and note
how the inductance is affected.
Observing Behaviour:
 Observe the brightness of the bulb (or the current through the
resistor) as you change the inductance.
 If using a resistor, monitor the current using the ammeter and note
how it decreases with increasing inductance.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
8
OBSERVATIONS
FACTORS NO. OF OBSERVATIONS
Number of turns (N) As the number of turns increases, the self-inductance

increases, and the current through the circuit decreases.
Core material The iron core increases the inductance compared to the air
core, causing a noticeable reduction in the current.
Cross-sectional area A larger cross-sectional area increases the inductance,

resulting in a decrease in current and bulb brightness.
SOURCES OF ERROR
 Variations in the AC supply voltage could affect the accuracy of the

results.
 Resistance in the connecting wires and contacts may introduce
errors.
 Imprecise winding of the coil (non-uniform spacing between turns).
 Calibration errors in the measuring instruments (LCR meter,
ammeter, voltmeter).
9
PRECAUTIONS
 Ensure all connections are tight and secure to minimize resistance in

the circuit.
 Do not exceed the current rating of the coil to avoid overheating.
 Use properly calibrated measuring instruments for accurate readings.
 Handle the AC power source carefully to avoid electric shock.
RESULT
The self-inductance of a coil depends significantly on factors like the

number of turns, the core material, and the cross-sectional area. An
increase in any of these factors leads to an increase in the self-inductance
of the coil, which in turn increases the opposition to the current, reducing
the brightness of the bulb or the current through the resistor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 NCERT Class 12 Physics Textbook

 Halliday, Resnick, and Walker: Fundamentals of Physics
 H.C. Verma: Concepts of Physics, Volume 2
 Khan Academy – Electromagnetic Induction Resources
10

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

o AIM OF THE PROJECT

INVESTIGATING THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE SELF-

 The impact of the number of turns in the coil.

 The effect of different core materials (iron, air, etc.).

 The influence of the cross-sectional area of the coil.

 How the length of the coil affects the inductance.

The inductance of a coil depends on several factors, such as:

 The number of turns in the coil.

 The core material used (air core, iron core, etc.).

 The cross-sectional area of the coil.

 The length of the coil.

The principle behind this investigation is based on Faraday's Law of

In an AC circuit, the current is constantly changing direction, which creates

 Copper wire (for winding the coil)

 Iron core (or an air core for comparison)

 AC power supply (50 Hz frequency)

 Resistor or incandescent bulb

 Ammeter (to measure current)

 Voltmeter (to measure voltage)

 Oscilloscope (optional, to visualize the waveforms)

 Multimeter (to measure resistance and inductance)

 Breadboard (optional, for easy circuit connections)

 Rheostat (variable resistor for varying circuit resistance)

 Measuring scale (to measure the dimensions of the coil)

Self-inductance (L) is a property of a coil that measures its ability to oppose

In an AC circuit, the opposition offered by an inductor to the flow of

Setting Up the Circuit:

 Connect the coil in series with the resistor or bulb.

 Use the AC power supply to provide alternating current to the circuit.

Measuring Initial Values:

 Measure the inductance of the coil using an LCR meter.

Varying the Factors:

FACTORS NO. OF OBSERVATIONS

Number of turns (N) As the number of turns increases, the self-inductance

Cross-sectional area A larger cross-sectional area increases the inductance,

 Variations in the AC supply voltage could affect the accuracy of the

 Ensure all connections are tight and secure to minimize resistance in

The self-inductance of a coil depends significantly on factors like the

 NCERT Class 12 Physics Textbook

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