A metal detector can detect the presence of metal screws used to repair a broken bone inside the body. This tells us that A. The screws are made of magnetic materials.

B. The tissues of the body are conducting.

C. The magnetic fields of the device can penetrate the tissues of the body.

D. The screws must be perfectly aligned with the axis of the device.

Metal detectors use induced currents to sense the presence of any metal-not just magnetic materials such as iron. A metal detector, shown in Figure P25.78, consists of two coils: a transmitter coil and a receiver coil. A high-frequency oscillating current in the transmitter coil generates an oscillating magnetic field along the axis and a changing flux through the receiver coil. Consequently, there is an oscillating induced current in the receiver coil. If a piece of metal is placed between the transmitter and the receiver, the oscillating magnetic field in the metal induces eddy currents in a plane parallel to the transmitter and receiver coils. The receiver coil then responds to the superposition of the transmitter's magnetic field and the magnetic field of the eddy currents. Because the eddy currents attempt to prevent the flux from changing, in accordance with Lenz's law, the net field at the receiver decreases when a piece of metal is inserted between the coils. Electronic circuits detect the current decrease in the receiver coil and set off an alarm.

Transcribed Image Text:

Induced current- due to eddy currents Receiver coil Eddy currents in the current in the receiver coil. Metal metal reduce the induced- Induced current due Transmitter coil to the transmitter coil FIGURE P25.78