31EMA Electromagnetism 2023/2024 Q3

Exercises for Studio Classroom sessions

Week 5

SESSION 1

Exercise 5.1: Straight piece of wire

A straight piece of wire with length a is located on the x-axis of a
Cartesian coordinate system between x = 0 and x = a. A current I is
running through the wire in positive x direction, creating a magnetic
field in its surrounding. Consider a point P located on the y-axis at
y = yP .
Comment: To supply a constant current through the wire piece, lead
wires would be required at either end. For simplicity, we ignore the
effect of the lead wires in this exercise.
(a) Determine the direction of the magnetic field in point P using
the right-hand rule.
(b) Consider a small wire segment at position x with length dx. Find vector expressions for
d⃗l (along direction of the current), ξ⃗ and ξˆ (the distance vector to point P and its unit
vector) for this wire segment.
(c) Evaluate the vector product d⃗l × ξˆ and compare its direction to your answer to (a).
⃗ from the wire
(d) Use Biot-Savart law and our answer to (c), to express the contribution dB
segment dx to the magnetic field of the wire piece.
⃗ along the wire piece to find the total magnetic field B
(e) Integrate the contributions dB ⃗ of
the wire. Again, compare the direction with your answer to (a).
(f) Determine the limiting behavior for yp → 0 and yp → ∞ and check whether your results
are physical (whether they make sense).
(g) Determine the limiting behavior for a → ∞. Use the superposition principle to check
whether your result makes sense. Hint: Compare to the result of section 7.2.1 from the
reader.

Step-by-step recipe: Biot-Savart law

The steps you took in exercise 5.1 to determine the magnetic field using Biot-Savart
law closely resembles the approach described in the respective recipe (Appendix B.6 of
the reader). As it includes a vector product in the integral, it can be challenging to use
Biot-Savart law for magnetic field calculations. Before continuing with the other exercises,
consult the recipe, which will explain step by step how to solve this type of problem for
any shape of the wire.

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Exercise 5.2: Semi-circular loop
Consider a piece of wire, which is bent into a
semi-circle with radius R around the origin in the
xy plane. The ends of the wire are connected to
straight lead wires along the negative x-axis, which
supply a current I in counterclockwise direction.
Point P is located on the z-axis at z = zP .
(a) Argue why the lead wires at x < −R do not
contribute to the magnetic field in point P.
For the remaining subquestions, you may ignore the
presence of the lead wires at x < −R and focus on the curved part and the straight part of the
loop. We will first consider the contribution of the curved part (semi-circle).
(b) Determine the direction of the magnetic field of the curved wire in point P using the
right-hand rule.
(c) Divide the curved part of the wire into small wire segments enclosed by an angle dϕ. Use
Biot-Savart law to find an expression for the magnetic field contribution dB⃗ in point P
⃗
due to the wire segment. Check the direction of dB with the right-hand rule.
⃗ along the wire piece to find the magnetic field B
(d) Integrate the contributions dB ⃗ 1 of the
wire. Again, compare the direction with your answer to (b).
Now we consider the contribution of the straight wire between x = −R and x = R.
⃗ 2 in point
(e) Use your result from question 5.1 to find an expression for the magnetic field B
P due to the straight wire. Make sure to use the variables given in this question. Again,
check the direction with the right-hand rule. Hint: If you skipped 5.1, you can also make
use of the example in section 7.2.1 of the reader.
We add both field contributions together to determine the total field in point P.
(f) Add the contributions B ⃗ 1 and B
⃗ 2 to determine the total magnetic field B
⃗ in point P.
(g) Determine the limiting behavior of B(z⃗ p ) for zp → ∞ and zp → 0. In both cases, give a
physical interpretation for the dominating term.

Exercise 5.3: Infinite straight wire

An infinite wire is running along the z-axis of a cylindrical coordinate system and carries a
current I in positive z-direction. Point P is located at a distance rP from the wire.
While we could use Biot-Savart law to determine the magnetic field in Point P, similar as in
question 5.1, we can make use of the cylindrical symmetry of the current distribution and use
Ampère’s law instead.
(a) Determine the direction of the magnetic field in point P using the right-hand rule.
(b) Argue based on symmetry why the magnetic field magnitude must be independent of the
coordinates ϕ and z.
Consequently, B can only depend on r. We will therefore choose a circular Ampère loop around
the wire and through point P, to make sure that everywhere on the loop the magnetic field
magnitude B is equal.
(c) Make a sketch of the wire, point P and the Ampère loop. Indicate the direction of d⃗l and
⃗ in point P with arrows. Conclude how you can simplify the inner product B
B ⃗ · d⃗l.
(d) For Ampère’s law, simplify the path integral on the left-hand side, using your conclu-
sion from the previous question. Solve for B to find an expression for the magnetic field

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 magnitude in point P.
⃗ in point
(e) Together with your answer to (a), find a vector expression for the magnetic field B
P. Generalize your result to any point in space by substituing rP = r.
(f) Compare your result to that for question 5.1(g) and find a reason why they are different.

Step-by-step recipe: Ampère’s law

In exercise 5.3a-e, the problem solving strategy closely resembles the method described in
the recipe on Ampère’s law. Before continuing with the other exercises, be sure to study
that recipe. Be careful to only apply this approach to symmetric current distributions.
If the currend distribution lacks symmetry, you have to follow the recipe for Biot-Savart
law instead.

Exercise 5.4: Planar surface current

An infinite thin conducting plate is positioned in
the xy-plane of a Cartesian coordinate system. The
plate is carrying a current with uniform surface cur-
rent density K ⃗ = K ŷ.
(a) Determine the unit of the constant K.
(b) Determine the direction of the magnetic field
in the regions z > 0 and z < 0 using the
right-hand rule.
(c) Argue based on symmetry why the magnetic field magnitude must be independent of the
coordinates x and y.
(d) Argue based on symmetry why the magnetic field magnitude must be equal on both sides
of the plate (so |B(z)| = |B(−z)|).
(e) Based on the above considerations, choose an Ampère loop in the xz-plane, that encloses a
part of the current through the plate, and make a sketch. Hint: If you have no idea which
shape to choose, consult section 7.6.4 of the reader.
(f) For each part of the Ampère loop, indicate the direction of d⃗l and B ⃗ in your sketch.
Conclude for each part how to simplify the inner product B⃗ · d⃗l.
(g) Use Ampère’s law to determine the magnetic field magnitude B. Check that the dimensions
of the Ampère loop should not appear in your result.
⃗ for
(h) Use your answer from question (b), to find vector expressions for the magnetic field B
the regions z > 0 and z < 0. Make a sketch of the magnetic field lines in the xz-plane.
While you might be surprised that the magnetic field is uniform on both sides of the current-
carrying plate, it yields a lot of similarities with the case of a homogeneously charged plate in
electrostatics. For planar current distributions, one can make use of this uniformity and apply
the superposition principle very easily.

Remember: Magnetic field of a large plate

A large plate carrying a uniform surface current density creates a uniform magnetic field
(independent of the distance!). The magnetic fields of several plates next to each other
or a volume current density simply add up according to the superposition principle.

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SESSION 2

Exercise 5.5: U-shaped wire

A U-shaped configuration of wires is located in the xy-plane
of a Cartesian coordinate system. At x = −a, a straight semi-
infinite wire runs from y = +∞ to the x-axis, a straight con-
nection on the x-axis between x = −a and x = a and a straight
semi-infinite wire at x = a between the x-axis and y = +∞.
A current I is flowing through the wire in counterclockwise di-
rection. Point P is located on the positive y-axis at y = yP .

(a) Determine the direction of the magnetic field in point P

using the right-hand rule.
(b) Determine the magnetic field B⃗ 1 in point P created by the
semi-infinite wire at x = −a.
(c) Determine the magnetic field B⃗ 2 in point P created by the finite piece of wire on the x-axis.
⃗ in point P due
(d) Use your answers to (b) and (c), to determine the total magnetic field B
to the whole U-shaped wire configuration.
(e) Determine the limiting behavior of B ⃗ for both yP → ∞ and yP → 0. Give a physical
interpretation of the result for both cases.

Exercise 5.6: The definition of the unit Ampere

Electromagnetism in the real world: The definition of

the SI-unit Ampere

The ampere is part of the International system of units (SI), which is

the most widely used system of units in science all around the globe. To
provide an accurate calibration standard for measurement equipment,
SI units need to be defined in a precise way that can be reproduced
and checked everywhere. For many years, the unit ampere was defined
based on other SI-units (meter and Newton) in the following way:
Old definition: The ampere is that constant current which, if main-
tained in two straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of
negligible circular cross-section, and placed one metre apart in
vacuum, would produce between these conductors a force equal
to 2 · 10−7 newtons per metre of length.
Since 2019, the definition no longer relies on a hypothetical configu-
ration of wires, but uses the known numeric value of the elementary
charge e of an electron instead.
New definition: The ampere, symbol A, is the SI unit of electric
current. It is defined by taking the fixed numerical value of the
elementary charge e to be 1.602176634 · 10−19 when expressed in
the unit C, which is equal to A · s.
In this exercise we will show that a current of 1 A according to the
new definition corresponds to the old definition of the Ampère.

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Consider two infinite parallel wires at a distance d from each other, which both carry a current
I in the same direction.
(a) Determine the magnetic field B ⃗ 1 of wire 1 at the position of wire 2 (at distance d). Use
the right-hand rule to check whether the direction of the magnetic field is correct.
(b) Consider a small wire segment d⃗l of wire 2. Find an expression for the Lorentz force dF⃗
on the wire segment due to the magnetic field B ⃗ 1 . Again, use the right-hand rule to check
the direction of dF⃗ .
(c) Integrate the forces dF⃗ on wire 2 along a wire section of length L, in order to calculate
the total force F⃗ (L).
(d) Insert the following numeric values into the expression for F (L) and compute a numeric
result (with a unit!) for F : L = 1 m, d = 1 m, I = 1 A, µ0 = 1.25663706212 · 10−6 N/A2 .
Compare your result to the value given in the old definition above.

Exercise 5.7: Infinite solenoid

Consider an infinitely long cylindrical coil with radius R centered
around the z-axis. You can imagine the windings of the coil to be cir-
cular rings of wire, which are flat and closely spaced in z-direction with
winding density n (windings per length). A current I is flowing through
the coil (and hence through every winding) in +ϕ̂ direction.
(a) Argue based on the right-hand rule and symmetry, that the mag-
netic field is purely in z-direction in both the regions r < R and
r > R and independent of z and ϕ.
(b) Make a sketch and add an Ampère loop in the region r < R, which
you can use to argue that the magnetic field is independent of the
radius (Bz ̸= Bz (r)) for r < R.
(c) Add an Ampère loop in the region r > R, which you can use to
argue that the magnetic field is independent of the radius (Bz ̸= Bz (r)) also for r > R.
For an ideal (infinite) solenoid, we can conclude from the uniformity of the field in the outside
region (r > R) that the magnitude of the field must be zero. This is an important result to
remember.

Remember: Magnetic field of an infinite solenoid

The magnetic field inside an infinite solenoid points along the cylinder axis and is uniform.
The magnetic field outside an infinite solenoid vanishes.

For solenoids of finite length we can use these results in good approximation as long as we are
close to the center of the coil (far away from the two ends) and consider distances much smaller
than the length (r ≪ L).
For the infinite solenoid, we continue with the determination of the magnetic field inside the coil
(r < R).
(d) Use the Ampère loops previously sketched to determine the magnetic field magnitude
inside of the coil. Hint: Consult recipe B.7 of the reader if you struggle to come up with
the correct shape.
(e) Use I and n to express the enclosed current and pay attention to its sign.
(f) Use Ampère’s law to determine the magnetic field magnitude B and express the magnetic
⃗ as a vector. Check its direction using the right-hand rule.
field B

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Exercise 5.8: Toroid with circular cross-section

We can form a toroid with circular cross-section by taking a long cylindrical coil and bending it
into a round shape, such that the cylinder axis is forming a circle with radius R1 in the xy-plane
around the origin. The toroid has N windings and its cross-section is round with a radius R2 . A
current I is flowing through the windings, creating a magnetic field.
(a) Argue which two components of the magnetic field must be zero (everywhere).
Consequently, the remaining component determines the direction of the magnetic field.
(b) Make a sketch in the xy-plane and add Ampère loops in the regions r < R2 − R1 and
r > R2 + R1 , which you can use to argue that the magnetic field is zero there.
(c) Add an Ampère loop inside of the toroid to your sketch and determine the magnetic field
magnitude B(r). Use the right-hand rule to determine the direction, to express B⃗ as a
vector (pay attention to the sign!).