GCSE Standard Questions: The Generator

(Electromagnetic Induction)

Q1. The diagram shows the inside of an oil pipeline and a student's design for a meter to measure the flow of oil.

  • As oil flows through the pipeline, the oil rotates a turbine wheel.
  • Above the turbine wheel is a coil of wire connected to a data logger.
  • There is a magnet in the rim of the turbine wheel. The turbine wheel spins and this induces a varying potential difference (p.d.) across the ends of the coil.
  • This varying p.d. is recorded by the data logger.

(a) Complete the sentence below by suggesting a word for dotted space: The faster the oil flows through the pipeline, the ...?... the maximum p.d. across the coil.

(1 mark)

(b) Explain why a varying p.d. is induced across the coil even when the rate of flow of oil remains constant.

(3 marks)

(c) Suggest two changes to the design of the meter which would increase the maximum p.d. across the coil for the same flow of oil.

(2 marks)

(Total 6 marks)