MAGNETIC EFFECT OF CURRENT

The magnetic effect of current was discovered by Oersted in 1820.

Oersted found that a wire carrying a current was able to deflect a compass needle. Now, the compass needle is a
tiny magnet which can be deflected only by a magnetic field. Since a current carrying wire was able to deflect a
compass needle, it was concluded that a current flowing in a wire always gives rise to a magnetic field around it.

The importance of magnetic effect of current lies in the fact that it gives rise to mechanical forces. The electric
motor, electric generator, telephone and radio, all utilize the magnetic effect of current.

The magnetic effect of current is also called electromagnetism which means electricity produces magnetism.

Experiment to Demonstrate the Magnetic Effect of Current

Oersted’s experiment

The deflection of compass needle by the current carrying wire in the above experiment shows that an electric
current produces a magnetic field around it. It is this magnetic field which deflects the compass needle placed near
the current-carrying wire.

Magnetic Field Pattern due to Straight Current-Carrying Conductor

(Straight Current-Carrying Wire)

The magnetic field lines around a straight conductor (straight wire) carrying current are concentric circles
whose centres lie on the wire.

When current in the wire flows in the upward direction (as shown), then the lines of magnetic field are in the
anticlockwise direction. If the direction of current in the wire is reversed, the direction of magnetic field lines also gets
reversed.
It has been shown by experiments that the magnitude of magnetic field produced by a straight current carrying
wire at a given point is :

(i) directly proportional to the current passing in the wire, and

(ii) inversely proportional to the distance of that point from the wire.

So, greater the current in the wire, stronger will be the magnetic field produced. And greater the distance of a point
from the current-carrying wire, weaker will be the magnetic field produced at that point.

Maxwell’s right-hand thumb rule

If the direction of current is known, then the direction of magnetic field produced by a straight wire carrying current
can be obtained by using Maxwell’s right-hand thumb rule.

Imagine that you are holding the current-carrying wire in your right hand so that your thumb points in the
direction of current, then the direction in which your fingers encircle the wire will give the direction of
magnetic field lines around the wire.

Biot-Savart's Law

Biot-Savart’s law is used to determine the magnetic field at any point due to a current carrying conductor.
According to Biot-Savart Law, magnetic field at point ‘P’ due to the current element idl is given by the expression,

Magnetic permeability is a property that basically allows magnetic lines of

force to pass through a material.
In SI System: B is measured in Tesla represented as T
CGS system is measured with the unit gauss (G).
1 T = 10000 G
Magnetic field due to a current carrying wire at a point P which lies at a perpendicular distance r from the wire as shown
is given as

For a wire of infinite length

When the linear conductor XY is of infinite length and the point P lies near the centre of the conductor 1 = 2 = 90o.

For a wire of semi-infinite length : When the linear conductor is of infinite length and the point P lies near the end Y
or X.
For axial position of wire : When point P lies on axial position of current carrying conductor then magnetic field at P

B=0

Magnetic field due to a cylindrical wire

Inside the solid cylinder : Current enclosed by loop (i) is lesser then the total current (i)

Questions
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