One or more options correct
Two long horizontal smooth conducting rails, apart, lie in a uniform vertical magnetic field and are joined at one end by an ideal capacitor of capacitance (initially uncharged). A rod of mass lies across the rails, perpendicular to them, and a constant horizontal force pulls it from rest along the rails. The rails and rod have negligible resistance. Which of the following is/are correct?
- A. The rod moves with constant acceleration .
- B. A constant current of flows in the circuit.
- C. At the energy stored in the capacitor is .
- D. At the kinetic energy of the rod is .
Show answer and solution
Answer: A, B, D
With negligible resistance the capacitor voltage equals the motional emf, . Hence . Newton's law gives , so constant, and constant; (A) and (B) are true. At s, and . The rod's kinetic energy is , so (D) is true. The capacitor energy is , not , so (C) is false. The work done by is , which splits equally between kinetic and capacitor energy. Note that the capacitor behaves like an extra inertia added to the rod, which is why the acceleration is smaller than .
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