Learning module
Inductors
Inductors store energy in magnetic fields and resist changes in current.
Safety first, always.
ElectroLab AI teaches theory, low-voltage electronics, and planning concepts. Mains voltage, switchboards, fixed wiring, high-current systems, and legal electrical work must only be performed by licensed electricians where required.
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Mark lessons as complete as you work through the bench checks, then use the quiz to test the ideas.
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Current lesson
Inductors
AC vs DC
DC flows one way. AC changes direction repeatedly and is used for power distribution.
Resistors
Resistors limit current, divide voltage, set bias points, and turn electrical energy into heat.
Capacitors
Capacitors store charge, smooth supplies, pass changing signals, and block steady DC.
Inductors
Inductors store energy in magnetic fields and resist changes in current.
Transformers
Transformers transfer AC energy through magnetic coupling and change voltage by turns ratio.
Amplifiers
Amplifiers use a small signal to control a larger signal for audio, sensors, and communication.
Speakers
Speakers use a voice coil in a magnetic field to move air and create sound.
Radio Waves
Radio uses electromagnetic waves to carry information through space.
Solar Basics
Solar panels provide variable DC power that needs regulation before charging batteries.
Visual schematic
Electromagnet coil
Current through the coil creates a magnetic field. The switch-off spike needs a safe path.
TP1: coil current
TP2: switch node
TP3: coil temperature
Interactive lesson workbench
Move the controls and watch the idea change.
This is a simplified teaching model for Inductors. Use it to build intuition before opening the calculator, lab, or real bench.
What changed?
80 turns at 0.40 A with a 3x core gives a field index of 96. More current means more heat, so measure coil resistance first.
Guided lesson coach
Work through Inductors like a bench exercise.
First, name the job of the part or idea.
Say what it controls, stores, blocks, transfers, or protects. If you can explain that plainly, the formulas become much easier to use.
Start here
Load the electromagnet example in the simulator, close the switch, and compare current before and after changing coil resistance.
Key ideas
An inductor is usually a coil of wire that stores energy in a magnetic field.
Inductors resist sudden changes in current, which creates useful filtering and switching behaviour.
A coil with an iron core can become an electromagnet.
When coil current is interrupted, the collapsing magnetic field can produce a damaging voltage spike.
Useful formulas
RL time constant: tau = L / R
Inductor voltage: V = L x di/dt
Energy: E = 0.5 x L x I^2
Bench checks
Measure coil resistance before connecting a battery.
Estimate coil current with Ohm's Law.
Add a flyback diode across DC relay coils or electromagnets.
Common mistakes
Connecting a low-resistance coil straight across a battery for too long.
Forgetting flyback protection on switched coils.
Expecting inductance value alone to tell you the safe current rating.