How does moving a magnet through a wire coil produce an electric current?

Moving a magnet through a wire coil produces an electric current through the process of electromagnetic induction. As Michael Faraday discovered, this phenomenon occurs because the motion of the magnet changes the magnetic flux passing through the coil.1

Faraday visualized the magnetic field as "lines of force" or tension in the space surrounding the magnet. When the magnet moves, the conductor cuts across these lines of force, inducing an electromotive force (voltage) that drives an electric current through the wire. The magnitude of this induced current is proportional to the rate at which the magnetic flux changes over time.12

Furthermore, according to Lenz’s law, the induced current flows in a direction that opposes the change that created it. For instance, as you push a magnet into the coil, the current creates a magnetic field that repels the approaching pole, requiring mechanical work to move the magnet. This process demonstrates the conservation of energy, as the mechanical energy used to move the magnet is converted into electrical energy.3