Lenz's law describes what about the direction of induced currents?

Lenz's law describes what about the direction of induced currents?

• A. It reinforces the change in magnetic flux.
• B. It depends on the orientation of the loop.
• C. It is independent of the flux.
• D. It opposes the change in magnetic flux.

Answer: (D)

Induced currents arrange themselves to oppose changes in magnetic flux through a circuit. This is Lenz's law, and it’s expressed mathematically by EMF = - dΦ/dt, where the minus sign shows the opposition. If the magnetic flux through the loop is increasing, the induced current flows in a direction that creates a magnetic field opposing that increase (for example, producing a field that repels the approaching magnet). If the flux is decreasing, the current reverses to try to keep the flux from dropping. This opposing tendency is why the correct statement is that the induced current opposes the change in magnetic flux. The other ideas fail because they either suggest the current reinforces the flux, ignore the flux change, or rely only on the loop’s orientation rather than the fundamental opposition to change.

Induced currents arrange themselves to oppose changes in magnetic flux through a circuit. This is Lenz's law, and it’s expressed mathematically by EMF = - dΦ/dt, where the minus sign shows the opposition. If the magnetic flux through the loop is increasing, the induced current flows in a direction that creates a magnetic field opposing that increase (for example, producing a field that repels the approaching magnet). If the flux is decreasing, the current reverses to try to keep the flux from dropping. This opposing tendency is why the correct statement is that the induced current opposes the change in magnetic flux. The other ideas fail because they either suggest the current reinforces the flux, ignore the flux change, or rely only on the loop’s orientation rather than the fundamental opposition to change.