The working principle of an inductor is based on the concept of electromagnetic induction. An inductor is a passive electrical component made up of a coil of wire that stores energy in the form of a magnetic field when electrical current passes through it. The core concept behind its operation is Faraday’s Law of Induction, which states that a changing magnetic field in a conductor induces a voltage in the conductor.
Here’s how an inductor works:
- Magnetic Field Generation: When an electric current flows through the coil of wire, it generates a magnetic field around the coil. The strength of this magnetic field depends on the amount of current and the number of turns in the coil. The more turns the coil has, the greater the magnetic field it produces.
- Energy Storage: As the current increases or decreases, the magnetic field around the coil changes. This change in the magnetic field stores energy within the coil. The inductor resists sudden changes in the current flowing through it by converting electrical energy into magnetic energy and vice versa.
- Opposition to Current Change (Inductive Reactance): Inductors resist changes in the current because of the energy stored in the magnetic field. This property is known as inductive reactance. When the current flowing through the inductor changes, the magnetic field adjusts accordingly, creating a voltage that opposes the change in current (according to Lenz’s Law). This is why inductors are often used to filter or smooth out voltage and current changes in circuits.
Inductors are widely used in applications such as power supplies, transformers, filters, and electromagnetic devices. They are essential for controlling the flow of current in circuits, especially in AC systems, where they help maintain smooth and stable operation by opposing rapid changes in current.