The Negative Sign in Faraday’s Law Encodes Lenz’s Law

Incorrect Thinking

Students may treat the negative sign as optional algebra rather than physical direction information.

Why Students Think This

The sign can look like a purely mathematical detail when the physical setup is not visualised.

Correction

The negative sign expresses Lenz’s law: the induced effect acts to oppose the change in flux linkage.

Links

• Related: electromagnetic induction