# Eddy currents and EMF?

Im confused, can both phenomenons happen at the same time?! A conductor the passes a powerful magnetic field at extremely high speeds, will induced EMF AND Eddy currents simultaneously?!

You cannot avoid having both simultaneously. Refs: Electricity and Magnetism, Purcell; Classical Electrodynamics, Jackson

An EMF always occurs as a consequence of inducing charges to move with a magnetic field that changes in space or time.

Eddy currents are specifically the motion of charges within the skin depth of a conductor that move as a consequence of a changing magnetic field. Note that the skin depth is frequency dependent. The Feynman Lectures in Physics Vol 2, Feynman.

So these two phenomena are one in the same.

In the frame where the magnetic field is constant, the charges experiences a $q \vec{v} \times \vec{B}$ lorentz force from the magnetic field, where $q$ is the amount of charge of a given charge, $\vec{v}$ is the velocity of the charge and $\vec{B}$ is the magnetic field. This force causes the electrons in the conductor to flow. This flow of electrons is called the eddy current. So yes, the EMF and the eddy currents happen at the same time.

• Yet, eddy currents can be reduced by lamination correct? It could be reduced greatly? – Pupil May 2 '14 at 9:50
• what do you mean by lamination? Is this something like what you are talking about? Just watch until two minutes or so. – Brian Moths May 2 '14 at 13:23
• sub.allaboutcircuits.com/images/02422.png – Pupil May 2 '14 at 19:36
• The whole idea is trying to reduce the eddy currents – Pupil May 2 '14 at 19:37
• Yes then the lamination will reduce eddy currents. – Brian Moths May 2 '14 at 19:45