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Meow12
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What is the difference between a current-carrying coil and a solenoid?
The difference is the current.Meow12 said:What is the difference between a current-carrying coil and a solenoid?
Assume that the same current I passes through the coil and the solenoid. Honestly, that picture in the Wikipedia article looks like a coil to me. It seems that both a coil and a solenoid have N turns of a current-carrying wire with radius r, and I don't see the difference.Baluncore said:The difference is the current.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solenoid
Then the only difference is the shape of the coil.Meow12 said:Assume that the same current I passes through the coil and the solenoid.
A current-carrying coil is a loop or series of loops of wire through which an electric current flows. When current passes through the coil, it generates a magnetic field around it, following the right-hand rule for the direction of the magnetic field lines.
A solenoid is a type of electromagnet consisting of a long coil of wire, often wrapped around a metallic core, which produces a uniform magnetic field when an electric current passes through it. Solenoids are commonly used in devices that require controlled magnetic fields, such as electromagnets, inductors, and valves.
The magnetic field inside a solenoid is relatively strong and uniform, while the field outside is much weaker and less uniform. Inside the solenoid, the field lines are parallel and closely spaced, indicating a strong, consistent field. Outside, the field lines spread out and are less concentrated.
The strength of the magnetic field in a current-carrying coil or solenoid depends on several factors: the amount of electric current flowing through the coil, the number of turns or loops in the coil, the length of the solenoid, and the presence of a magnetic core material inside the coil. Increasing the current, the number of turns, or using a core material with high magnetic permeability can enhance the magnetic field strength.
Solenoids have a wide range of practical applications in various fields. They are used in electromagnetic relays, valves, and actuators in industrial machinery. In automotive systems, solenoids are employed in starters and fuel injectors. They are also found in medical devices, such as MRI machines, and in consumer electronics, like speakers and hard drives.