PHYS 221 General Physics II

Magnetic fields
2018
Spring 2016 Lecture 8
Assigned Reading: 17.5-8
The right hand rule[s]
Motion of a Point Charge in a Magnetic Field
FB  qv  B

If v is  B then FB  qvB

FB  ma  qvB

Charge follows uniform circular motion

thus there is a centripetal force on the
charge
mv 2
Fc 
r
The only force acting on the charge is magnetic

mv 2 mv
 qvB r
r qB
Period of Circular Motion

The period of the motion is

2r 2 mv 2m Called the

T   cyclotron
v v qB qB period.

or, the angular frequency of the orbital motion:

2 qB
  2f  
T m
only a function of q/m, but not the velocity v!
Larger v: circumference grows IN PROPORTION
Helical Motion

• Assume a charged
particle moves partly
parallel and partly
perpendicular to the
magnetic field.
• The component of v
parallel to B does not
change (Fy = 0)
• The path of the particle
is helical (like a screw).
– The charged particle
will spiral around the
magnetic field lines.
Combine an Electric Field and a Magnetic Field

• In the presence of both electric 𝐸 and magnetic 𝐵

fields there is a net electromagnetic force acting on
the charged particle:

𝐹Ԧ𝑒𝑚 = 𝐹Ԧ𝐸 + 𝐹Ԧ𝐵 = 𝑞𝐸 + 𝑞 𝑣Ԧ × 𝐵

• It is possible to balance electric and magnetic forces

such as the net force is zero:

𝐹Ԧ𝑒𝑚 = 𝐹Ԧ𝐸 + 𝐹Ԧ𝐵 = 0

Crossed E and B Fields

CONCLUSION:
For fixed E and B, there is
only one particular velocity
of a + charged particle that
will balance the magnetic
and electric forces
𝐸
𝑞𝐸 = 𝑞𝑣𝐵 ⇒ 𝑣 =
𝐵

This device is called a Velocity Selector.

ANOTHER CONCLUSION:
v x B acts like an electric field
Magnetic Force on Current

𝐿
𝐹Ԧ = 𝑄(𝑣Ԧ𝑑 × 𝐵) 𝑄 = 𝐼Δ𝑡 = 𝐼
𝑣𝑑

𝐿
𝐹Ԧ = 𝐼 𝑣Ԧ × 𝐵 = 𝐼𝐿 (𝑣ො𝑑 × 𝐵)
𝑣𝑑 𝑑

𝐹Ԧ = 𝐼(𝐿 × 𝐵) = 𝐿(𝐼Ԧ × 𝐵)
Example

Top view of Current-Carrying Bar Sliding on two current

carrying frictionless rails in a magnetic field.

I
+
V I
– F B
THIS IS A FORM
OF ELECTRIC I
MOTOR, TURNING
ELECTRICAL INTO
MECHANICAL
Can reverse motion by reversing
ENERGY direction of I, by reversing V
Torque on a Current Loop
force on a wire: 𝐹Ԧ = 𝐿(𝐼Ԧ × 𝐵)

𝜏Ԧ (1) 𝐹1 = 𝐿𝐼𝐵
(2) 𝐹2 = 0
(3) 𝐹3 = 𝐿𝐼𝐵
(4) 𝐹4 = 0

torques: 𝜏Ԧ = 𝐹Ԧ × 𝑟Ԧ

𝐿
(1) 𝜏1 = 𝐹1 ⋅ 2
(2) 𝜏2 = 0
𝐿
(3) 𝜏3 = 𝐹3 ⋅ 2
(4) 𝜏4 = 0

𝐿 𝐿
𝜏 = ෍ 𝜏𝑖 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 ⋅ = 2𝐿𝐼𝐵 ⋅ = 𝐼𝐵𝐿2 = 𝐼𝐵𝐴
2 2
𝑖 𝑖
Torque on a Current Loop
force on a wire: 𝐹Ԧ = 𝐿(𝐼Ԧ × 𝐵)

(1) 𝐹1 = 𝐿𝐼𝐵
(2) 𝐹2 = 0
(3) 𝐹3 = 𝐿𝐼𝐵
(4) 𝐹4 = 0
𝜏Ԧ
torques: 𝜏Ԧ = 𝐹Ԧ × 𝑟Ԧ
𝐿 𝐿
𝑟= sin(𝜃) (1) 𝜏1 = 𝐹1 ⋅ 2 sin(𝜃)
2
(2) 𝜏2 = 0
𝐿
(3) 𝜏3 = 𝐹3 ⋅ 2 sin(𝜃)
(4) 𝜏4 = 0

𝐿
𝜏 = ෍ 𝜏𝑖 = 𝐹1 + 𝐹2 ⋅ sin(𝜃) = 𝐼𝐵𝐿2 sin(𝜃) = 𝐼𝐵𝐴sin(𝜃)
2
𝑖 𝑖
Torque on a Current Loop
torque: 𝜏Ԧ = 𝐹Ԧ × 𝑟Ԧ
𝜏 = 𝐼𝐵𝐴sin(𝜃)

introduce loop orientation

𝑛ො
𝜏Ԧ
𝐵

(L/2)sin(θ)

𝜏Ԧ = 𝐼𝐴(𝑛ො × 𝐵)

magnetic moment: 𝜇Ԧ = 𝐼𝐴𝑛ො

The area of the loop can be regarded as a vector
perpendicular to the plane of the area, with
magnitude A
Torque on a Current Loop
• In general, the torque does not depend on the
shape of the loop, just its area.
• With 𝑁 turns of wire in the loop, multiply by 𝑁.
𝜇Ԧ = 𝑁𝐼𝐴 𝑛ො

𝜏Ԧ = 𝜇Ԧ × 𝐵
𝜏Ԧ = 𝑁𝐼𝐴𝐵 sin 𝜃
𝜃
Magnetism in matter
• Atoms have magnetic moments due to the orbital motion
of their electrons and the intrinsic magnetic moments
associated with the spins of the electrons.
• Alignment of these moment can increase an applied
field.

=AI
Net current inside the material is zero.
We are left with a surface current and
therefore a magnetic moment
Magnetic Fields From Currents
• Long, straight wire:

• Observation: 𝐵 ∝ 𝐼 Τ𝑅
• Magnetic field lines curl around the wire
– use the right-hand rule to get the direction
• How can we work out the exact form of 𝐵?
Ampere’s Law

• For any closed path that encircles a current,

෍ 𝐵∥ ∆𝑠 = μ0 𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
∆𝑠3
∆𝑠2
∆𝑠1

• This usually isn’t useful unless we can find a path that is

parallel to 𝐵 everywhere. High degree of symmetry helps.
• For example, a circular path around and perpendicular to a
long, straight wire.
Ampere’s Law

• From the symmetry of the wire when rotated

around its axis, we expect |𝐵| to be constant
along circular paths of radius 𝑅.
෍ 𝐵∥ ∆𝑠 = 2𝜋 𝑅 𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝐼
Circumference of a
circle of radius 𝑅.
Ampere’s Law

෍ 𝐵∥ ∆𝑠 = 2𝜋 𝑅 𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝐼

𝜇0 𝐼
𝐵=
2𝜋 𝑅

𝜇0 = 4𝜋 × 10−7 𝑁/𝐴2
Ampere’s Law
• Example: what is the magnetic field inside the wire?
• Assume the current is uniformly distributed
throughout the wire…
2
– Cross-sectional area of the wire: 𝐴𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒 = 𝜋 𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒
– Area inside a loop of radius 𝑅: 𝐴 = 𝜋 𝑅2
– Current inside a loop of radius 𝑅 < 𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒 :
𝑅2
𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝐼 2 the fraction of the current that is enclosed
𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒

• Ampere’s law:
𝑅2
2𝜋 𝑅 𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 = 𝜇0 𝐼 2
𝐵 𝑅 𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒
𝜇0 𝐼𝑅
𝐵= 2
2𝜋 𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒
𝑅
𝑅𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑒
Example: Coaxial Cable
𝐼2

𝐼1

෍ 𝐵∥ ∆𝑠 = 2𝜋 𝑅 𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑

= 𝜇0 𝐼1 − 𝐼2
𝜇0 (𝐼1 − 𝐼2 )
𝐵=
2𝜋 𝑅
Outside the coax, if 𝐼1 = 𝐼2 , there is NO B FIELD
Between the conductors, only I1 is enclosed by a path
Magnetic Field at the Center of a Current
Loop of Radius R
𝐵𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟
In general, the magnetic field does
not have a lot of symmetry.

𝑅 But we can ask about the magnitude

of the magnetic field at the center of
the loop.

The calculation is a bit more involved but the answer is…

𝜇0 𝐼
𝐵𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟 =
2𝑅

Right hand rule relates directions in two different ways! Thumb

along I , fingers point B or Fingers follow I, thumb points along B
Magnetic Field Inside a Solenoid

Length, 𝐿

Inside a long solenoid, the magnetic field is parallel to the

axis. And pretty uniform except near the ends.