Do back force and back emf come together?

In summary, back force and back emf occur in both generators and motors. In a DC motor, the direction of the current and the direction of the emf determine whether the motor acts as a motor or a generator. In a motor, the current and the emf are in the same direction, causing the motor to accelerate. In a generator, the current and the emf are in opposite directions, resulting in deceleration. AC motors cannot be controlled solely by supply voltage to change between motor and generator modes.
  • #1
21joanna12
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2
i have heard it said that back force occurs in generators and back emf occurs in motors, however I was considering a motor and I thought that it seems to me that as the coil is rotating and it has the changing flux linkage, and thus a back end is induced in it by Lenz's law, this reduces the overall potential difference in the coil circuit, reducing the circuit current and so the rate of rotation of the coil decreases, effectively acting as if there is a back force on the coil. Do back emf and back force always come together? I'm not quite sure how to apply this to a generator though- the coil rotates in the magnetic field so an emf is induced in it which creates a current so that a back force is experienced on the coil, but I can't see how back emf comes into this...
 
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  • #2
21joanna12 said:
i have heard it said that back force occurs in generators and back emf occurs in motors, however I was considering a motor and I thought that it seems to me that as the coil is rotating and it has the changing flux linkage, and thus a back end is induced in it by Lenz's law, this reduces the overall potential difference in the coil circuit, reducing the circuit current and so the rate of rotation of the coil decreases, effectively acting as if there is a back force on the coil. Do back emf and back force always come together? I'm not quite sure how to apply this to a generator though- the coil rotates in the magnetic field so an emf is induced in it which creates a current so that a back force is experienced on the coil, but I can't see how back emf comes into this...

Sorry, I don't quite understand your question. Anyway consider a dc-motor (simple):

Say the stator induces a magnetic field through the turning rotor. Then an emf is induced in the windings of the rotor, no matter if the acts as a motor or a generator. The direction of this emf is always given only by the direction of rotation.

Say that at some rotational speed, the emf = 200V. If you supply the motor by say 220V, the current through the windings of the rotor will be driven by the voltage:

U = 220V - 200V = +20V ( call that direction: Forward ). The forward current will induce a magnetic field in the rotor, so that the attraction between the stator field and the rotor field will make the motor accelerate (acts as a motor).

Now you lower the supply voltage to say 180V, and the current through the windings of the rotor will be driven by the voltage:

U = 180V - 200V = -20V (direction: backward). The backward current will induce a magnetic field in the rotor, so that the attraction between the stator field and the rotor field will make the motor decelerate (acts as a generator). The locations of north- and south-pole in the rotor have been swapped, as the current in the rotor windings has changed direction.

So if the direction of the current in the motor is the same as the direction of the emf, the motor will act as a generator. If the directions are opposite, the motor will act as a motor.

Please note: AC-motors cannot be controlled by only supply voltage in order to make them act as a motor/generator.
 
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1. Do back force and back emf have the same meaning?

No, back force and back emf are two different concepts. Back force refers to the opposing force that acts on a moving conductor in a magnetic field, while back emf (electromotive force) is the voltage induced in a conductor by a changing magnetic field.

2. How do back force and back emf affect an electric circuit?

Back force and back emf can have a significant impact on an electric circuit. Back force can cause a decrease in the current flow, while back emf can lead to a decrease in the voltage. Both of these effects can affect the performance of the circuit, and must be taken into consideration when designing and analyzing circuits.

3. Can back force and back emf be present in DC circuits?

Yes, back force and back emf can exist in DC (direct current) circuits. In DC circuits, back emf can occur when there is a change in the magnetic field, such as when a switch is turned on or off. Back force can also arise in DC circuits due to the movement of a conductor in a magnetic field.

4. How can back force and back emf be calculated?

The calculation of back force and back emf can vary depending on the specific circuit and conditions. Generally, back force can be calculated using the formula F = BIL, where B is the magnetic field strength, I is the current, and L is the length of the conductor. Back emf can be calculated using the formula ε = BLv, where B is the magnetic field strength, L is the length of the conductor, and v is the velocity of the conductor.

5. Are back force and back emf always present in electric circuits?

No, back force and back emf are not always present in electric circuits. These effects only occur when there is a magnetic field present and a conductor is moving in relation to it. In circuits with no magnetic fields or stationary conductors, back force and back emf will not be present.

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