Lenz’s Law
At a Glance
Discipline
- STEM
- Physics
Instructional Level
- College & CEGEP
- University
Course
- Electricity and Magnetism
Tasks in Workflow
Social Plane(s)
- Whole Class
Type of Tasks
- Analyzing
Technical Details
Useful Technologies
- Mini-whiteboards are used, but flashcards (or even hand signals) could be substituted
Time
- Brief segment of class period (< 20 mins)
Instructional Purpose
- Application & knowledge building
Overview
In this activity, students play a game to practice use of the right hand rule in Lenz’s Law.
To begin, the instructor gives a lecture on Lenz’s Law. Students are then given the rules of the game:
All students begin standing. They will be shown slides with an example of a changing magnetic flux through a wire. On a mini-whiteboard, they write either CW (clockwise), CCW (counter clockwise), or 0, corresponding to the direction of the induced current. After 30 seconds, all students reveal their answers. Students who answer correctly remain standing, those who do not sit down. This will be repeated until one or none remain standing (with the last standing the winner).
After each slide, the instructor goes over the example, explaining the correct answer.
The game is repeated several times, ensuring students who are eliminated early have multiple opportunities.
Instructional Objectives
Students will be able to recognize the direction of an induced current from Lenz’s Law.
Workflow & Materials
Activity Workflow
Contributor's Notes
This is a very engaging game for students, giving them a lot of practice with the right hand rule.
Controlling the class could be an issue, as they should be quiet during the game. More anxious students can get worked up by this activity and feel uncomfortable – they should be allowed to go out on the first round if they wish.
The time should become shorter and shorter as students progress, which helps keep the game from dragging on too long. Prizes can be awarded to the winners.
The instructor should post the slides after the class along with the answers so students can practice on their own time.
Applied Strategies
Published: 18/09/2018
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