(a) A jet airplane with a 75.0 m wingspan is flying at 280 m/s. What emf is induced between wing tips if the vertical component of the Earth’s field is $3.00\times 10^{-5}\text{ T}$? (b) Is an emf of this magnitude likely to have any consequences? Explain.

Video Transcript

This is College Physics Answers with Shaun Dychko. An airplane is traveling 280 meters per second and there is a component of the earth's magnetic field perpendicular to the wings of three times ten to the minus five Tesla and the wingspan of this plane is 75 meters. So, the question is what EMF is induced in these wings? So, we have a formula for that which is the magnetic field strength is perpendicular times the length of the wire, so to speak, which is this whole wingspan times the speed that is crossing the field lines. And, that's three times ten to the minus five Tesla times 75 meters times 280 meters per second, which is 0.63 volts. And, 0.63 volts is insignificant. It's not going to do anything to the electronics in the plane.