How Does A Generator Work?

Question

Not To Complicated Please!!

Answer 1

Two scientists, Michael Faraday and Joseph Henry, in the mid-1800's discovered that when you move a magnet in a coil of wire that electric current is generated.

The mathematical version of this discovery is called Faraday's law (and I won't make it too complicated by giving the equations, here).

Suffice it to say that this is one of the most fundamental forces in the universe -- a moving magnetic field will cause electrons to move. In the case of a generator: electrons move in the copper wire windings.

Modern generators have magnets that are spun by some mechanical mover (water on a turbine, wind on a propeller, a diesel or gas engine, etc.). These magnets are either permanent magnets, or electromagnets. When they spin, the moving magnetic field cuts across the wire windings and current is generated.

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Answer 2

When a permanent magnet is moved past a coil of wire that is part of an electric circuit it will cause current to flow through that coil and circuit. The changing magnetic field is associated with an electric field. The magnet's electric field pushes charges through the coil and through the wires that are part of the electric circuit. It is this movement of charges through the wires that is the electricity created by the generator. See the web site below for more information, including nice diagrams.

Answer 3

Didn't you ask this question yesterday? And I answered it. I'll make it real simple this time. Basically, an electric current is generated when a magnet is moved past a copper wire, or a copper wire is moved past a magnet. All generators, regardless of size or complexity operate on this basic principle.