[Physics] Induced emf in AC generator

electromagnetism

The induced emf in a coil in AC generator is given as:

$$\mathscr{E} = NAB\omega \sin \theta $$

$\omega = d\theta/dt$

Now, when the angle between the normal of plane and magnetic field is zero degrees, the induced emf is zero i.e.

$$\mathscr{E} = NAB\omega \sin 0 = 0$$

But we also define emf as the time rate of change of magnetic flux so, why do we get zero emf in the above case, magnetic flux is still changing with time?

Best Answer

The magnetic flux as a function of time is $$ \Phi(t) = \mathbf B \cdot \mathbf A(t) = BA\cos(\omega t) $$ where $\mathbf B$ is the magnetic field and $\mathbf A(t)$ is the area vector as a function of time and $\omega t$ is the angle between the field and the area vector as a function of time. Then the rate of change of the flux as a function of time is $$ \Phi'(t) = -BA\omega\sin(\omega t) $$ Notice that if the angle between the area vector vector and the magnetic field is zero, then the flux is nonzero and equal to $AB$, its maximum, but the rate of change of the flux vanishes because $\sin(0) = 0$.