PHYS502/University Physics 2

Module 9 – Magnetism and Electromagnetism

Learning Outcomes:
At the end this module, students are expected to:

C4 – Integrate the learned concepts in solving problems on circuits and

electromagnetism.

C6 - Solve problems that require the application of circuits and electromagnetism.

Specifically

✓ Nature of magnetism

✓ How electricity induces magnetism and vice versa

Magnetism is an interaction between moving charges. The magnetic forces, similar to

⃗ ) exists if a
electric forces, are due to the action of magnetic fields. A Magnetic Field (𝐵
charge moving through that region experienced a force due to its motion. Magnetic
Fields, just like the gravitational fields, cannot be seen or touched.
We know of the existence of magnetic fields by their effect on objects such as magnetized
pieces of metal. Turning on the current on a copper wire can make a nearby compass
needle jumps. Frequently, a magnetic field is detected by its effect on a compass needle.
The compass needle lines up in the direction of the magnetic field.

A magnetic filed lines drawn in a region provide a means for showing the direction in
which a compass needle placed in the region will point. A method for determining the field
lines is using a bar magnet. By convention, the direction of the compass needle follows
the direction of the field.

A magnet has two or more poles, although it must have at least one north pole and one
south pole. The compass needle always points away from a north pole and toward the
south pole, hence magnetic field lines exit the north pole and enter the south pole. The
magnetic poles of the same type repel each other, while unlike poles attract each other.
A charge moving through a magnetic field will experience a force due to the field, provided
its velocity vector is not along the magnetic field line.

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The magnetic field has the following properties:
✓ A magnetic field is created at all points in space surrounding a current-carrying
wire.
✓ The magnetic field at each point is a vector. It has both a magnitude, which we
call the magnetic field strength B, and a direction.
✓ The magnetic field exerts forces on magnetic poles. The force on a north pole is
⃗ ; the force on a south pole is opposite 𝐵
parallel to 𝐵 ⃗.

Another way to demonstrate the magnetic field is with the use of magnetic field lines.
These are imaginary lines drawn through a region of space such that:
✓ A tangent to a field line is in the direction of the magnetic field, and
✓ The field lines are closer together where the magnetic field strength is larger.

Right Hand Rule for Fields

✓ Point your right thumb in the direction of the current

✓ Curl your fingers around the wire to indicate a circle
✓ Your fingers point in the direction of the magnetic field lines around the wire

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The right-hand rule gives only the direction of the magnetic field. In order to determine
the strength of the magnetic field, we need to make use of the mathematical equations.

Biot-Savart Law

Biot-Savart law is an equation that describes the magnetic field generated by a constant
electric current. It relates the magnetic field to the magnitude, direction, length, and
proximity of the electric current. The Biot–Savart law is fundamental to magnetostatics,
playing a role similar to that of Coulomb's law in electrostatics.

The mathematical expression of Biot-Savart Law is:

𝜇0 𝑞𝑣 sin 𝜃
⃗ 𝑝𝑐 =
𝐵 − − > 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 − ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒
4𝜋 𝑟2

where: 𝜇0 − 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 = 1.257 𝑥 10−6 𝑇 − 𝑚⁄𝐴

1. The magnitude of a magnetic fields produced by a long straight wire with a constant
current is given by:

𝝁𝟎 𝑰
𝑩𝒘𝒊𝒓𝒆 = − −− > 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒓𝒆
𝟐𝝅 𝒓

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Example 9.1 A 1.0-m long diameter nichrome heater wire is connected to a 12-v battery.
Determine the magnetic field strength 1.0-cm away from the wire.

Ans. model the wire as in infinite long wire

❖ Solving for the current

The nichrome resistivity = 1.50 x 10-6 ohm-m
𝜌𝐿 1.50𝑥10−6 (1.0𝑚)
𝑅= = = 1.91 Ω
𝐴 𝜋(0.5𝑥10−3 𝑚𝑚)2

𝑉 12 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
𝐼= = = 6.28 𝐴
𝑅 1.91 Ω

❖ Solving for the magnetic field strength

𝜇0 𝐼 1.257𝑥10−6 𝑇 − 𝑚/𝐴 (6.28𝐴)
𝐵𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒 = = = 1.26𝑥10−4 𝑇
2𝜋 𝑟 2𝜋 0.01

2. The magnetic field of a current loop

𝜇0 𝑁𝐼
𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = − −− > 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑁 − 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝
2 𝑅

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Example 9.2 What current is needed in a 5-turn, 10-cm diameter coil to cancel the
earth’s magnetic field at the center of the coil?

Ans. The earth magnetic field is 5x10-5 T

𝜇0 𝑁𝐼 2𝑅𝐵
𝐵𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 = − −− > 𝐼 =
2 𝑅 𝜇0 𝑁

(2)(0.05𝑚)(5.0𝑥10−5 𝑇)
𝐼= (1.257𝑥10−6 𝑇−𝑚⁄𝐴)(5)
= 0.80𝐴

Ampere’s Law

Ampere’s Law is very similar to Gauss’ law. Gauss’ law allows us to find the electric field
on some surface that surrounds an electric charge. Ampere’s law allows us to find the
magnetic field on a closed loop that surrounds a current. In Gauss’ law we want to choose
our Gaussian surface so that the electric field is constant on the surface. In Ampere’s law
we want to choose our closed loop so that the magnetic field is constant on the loop. The
form of Ampere’s law for a loop with a constant magnetic field is:

⃗ ∗ 𝑑𝑠 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ
∮𝐵

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Solenoid

A solenoid is many loops of wire with a current going through. Solenoids are used to
generate magnetic fields. To find the magnetic field inside a solenoid we will make a
simplified model. The model may differ a little from a real solenoid, but the agreement
between the two is quite good. To calculate the magnetic field inside the solenoid we will
remove the wires on the end, and treat the solenoid as infinitely many closely spaced
rings. The spacing of the rings is given by n = N/l the number of rings per unit length. The
distance between two adjacent rings is 1/n.

The strength of the magnetic field inside a solenoid is:

𝜇0 𝑁𝐼
𝐵𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑑 = = 𝜇0 𝑛𝐼
𝑙

where: 𝑛 = 𝑁⁄𝑙 - number of turns per unit length

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The Magnetic Force of a Moving Charge

❖ The force exerted on a moving charge by a magnetic field is given by

⃗ = (𝑞𝑣𝐵 sin 𝛼, 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 − ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒)

𝐹𝑜𝑛 𝑞 = 𝑞𝑣 𝑋 𝐵

where: F -is the force vector,

q is the charge of the moving particle,
v is the velocity vector of the moving particle, and
B is the magnetic field vector.

Right hand rule for force due to magnetic field

✓ To find the direction of the force of a magnetic field

✓ Point fingers in the direction of the velocity
✓ Curl fingers to the direction of the magnetic field
✓ Thumb points in the direction of the force

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References and Supplementary Materials

Books and Journals

1. Knight, R.D. (2017). Physics with Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers A
Strategic Approach. 4th Edition. USA: Pearson Educ. Inc.
2. Lloyd, D.H. (2014). Physics Laboratory Manual. 4th ed. Canada: Brooks/Cole
Cengage Learning. (Laboratory).

Online Supplementary Reading Materials

1. http://www.phys.ufl.edu/~acosta/phy2061/lectures/MagneticField.pdf

Online Instructional Videos

1. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyQSN7X0ro2314mKyUiOILaOC2hk6Pc
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