Skip to content
Question 32 of 38

Q.Why is spark produced in the switch of an electric circuit, when light is put off?

West Bengal WbchseWest Bengal HS (WBCHSE) Board 2024Subjective· 1mImportance★★★★★
84% · 32/38 Questions
🔒 Locked · start free trial →

You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.

Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →

Switching off breaks the current very suddenly; by self-induction this abrupt dI/dtdI/dt generates a large back-emf which ionises the air gap in the switch, producing a spark.

Any electric circuit possesses some self-inductance LL (from its wiring, coils, or the filament/choke of the light itself). While current II is steadily flowing, the circuit stores magnetic energy (1/2)LI2(1/2)LI^2.

When the switch is opened, the current is forced to fall to zero almost instantaneously, i.e. dI/dtdI/dt becomes very large (in magnitude) for a brief instant. By Faraday's law of self-induction,

ε=−LdIdt\varepsilon = -L\dfrac{dI}{dt} …

Unlock everything free for 14 days

  • Full step-by-step solutions
  • Concept-first explanations
  • Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
  • PYQ mapping + timed mock tests

Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.