Answer: the direction of the flow of the induced current will be clockwise in the coil.
Explanation: according to Lenz law, an induce current acts in a direction that opposes the direction of motion (if not for this law, then we'll get a perpetual energy output with little or no energy input which destroys the law of energy conservation). As the south pole of the magnet moves towards the coil, a south pole must be induced on the coil to repel the movement of the magnet towards the coil. Clockwise flow of current produces a southpole while an anticlockwise flow produces a Northpole. This shows that the direction of the induced current will be clockwise.
If the magnet is dropped from the initial position, a current will be induced in the coil in the clockwise direction.
According to the question, a rectangular coil lies flat on a horizontal surface.
And a bar magnet is held above the center of the coil with its south pole pointing down.
We know that the magnetic field lines originate from the north pole and end up at the south pole of the magnet.
So, in the initial position of the magnet, there would be a number of magnetic field lines passing through the coil and going up, to the south pole of the magnet. When the magnet is at a distance from the coil there would be less number of magnetic field lines that pass through the coil as the magnetic field move away from each other as the distance from the magnet increases.
When the magnet is dropped, the number of lines passing through the coil and going up to the south pole of the magnet increases.
According to Lenz's law, a current will be induced in the coil such that it opposes the change in the magnetic flux.
So the current in the coil must be in a direction such that the magnetic field lines generated from this current go down and away from the south pole of the magnet.
Therefore a current will be induced in the coil in the clockwise direction.
Learn more about Lenz's law:
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