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the voltage equation of a inductor is V=L(di/dt).... so the property of the inductor is to keep the current through it constant.....
but when we switch off the supply across the inductor the voltage across the inductor spikes up due to the sudden change in current and due to the property of the inductor it tries to keep the current constant and hence pulls more charge which leads to the voltage spiking up till more.... this is called inductive kickback or inductive kick....
it is very dangerous for semiconductor circuits and hence a diode is used across it in the opposite direction of normal current flow to suppress inductive kickback...
Inductive kick is very common in motors because of the coils in them. When there is a change in the current of the coils (i.e. the motor being switched off), a high voltage spike will develope.
A free wheeling diode is used to provide an alternate path for the this high current to flow and prevent damage to the switch.
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