General Physics 2

Lecture 10 Magnetic Fields

- Magnetic Force Acting on a

Current-Carrying Conductor
- Torque on a Current Loop in a
Uniform magnetic field
- The Hall Effect

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29.4. Magnetic Force Acting on a Current -
Carrying Conductor
A magnetic force is exerted on a single charge in motion
through a magnetic field.
That implies a force should also be exerted on a
collection of charges in motion through a conductor or a
current.
The force on a current is the sum of all elementary
forces exerted on all charge carriers in motion.

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 29.4. Magnetic Force Acting on a Current -
Carrying Conductor

Remind Some rules: x x x x

If B is directed into the page x x x x x
we use blue crosses x x x x x x
representing the tail of arrows x x x x x
indicating the direction of the x x x x
field,
If B is directed out of the page, . . . .
we use dots. . . . . .
If B is in the page, we use lines . . . . . .
with arrow heads. . . . . .
. . . .

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Force on a wire carrying current in a magnetic field
x x x x
x x x x x
x x x xv x x x
d
q
Ax x x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x

Fmax = ( qvd B )( nAl )

I = nqvd A
Magnetic Field and Current
Fmax = BIl at right angle from each
other.
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Force on a wire carrying current in a magnetic field.

General Case: field at angle q relative to current.

Fmax = BIl sin q

B
B sin q
q

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29.4. Magnetic Force Acting on a Current - Carrying Conductor

Figure 29.17 (a) A wire suspended vertically between the poles of a magnet. (b)–(d) The
setup shown in (a) as seen looking at the south pole of the magnet so that the magnetic
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field (green crosses) is directed into the page
 Force on a wire carrying current in a
magnetic field.
➢ A straight segment of wire of length L and
cross-sectional area A carrying a current I in
a uniform magnetic field B
➢ The magnetic force exerted on a charge q
moving with a drift velocity vd is

➢ The total magnetic force on the segment of

wire of length L is:

▪ The volume of the segment is AL

▪ The number of charges in the segment is nAL (n
is the number of mobile charge carriers per unit
volume)
➢ The current in the wire is I = nqvdA

Figure 29.18 A segment of a current-

B is a vector that points in the direction of the current I and
carrying wire in a magnetic field 7B
has a magnitude equal to the length L of the segment
 29.4. Magnetic Force Acting on a Current - Carrying Conductor
➢ Force on a segment of current-carrying wire in a uniform magnetic field

➢ An arbitrarily shaped wire segment of

uniform cross section in a magnetic field:

▪ dԦs : a small segment of vector length in

the presence of a field B
▪ dFB is directed out of the page for the
directions of B
➢ The force is
▪ a maximum when B is perpendicular to the element
▪ zero when B is parallel to the element
➢ The total force FB acting over the
length of the wire Figure 29.19 A wire segment of arbitrary
shape carrying a current I in a magnetic
a and b represent the
endpoints of the wire field B experiences a magnetic force8
Mini-Quiz

In a lightning strike, there is a rapid flow of negative

charges from a cloud to the ground. In what direction is a
lightning strike deflected by the Earth’s magnetic field?

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Mini-Quiz

In a lightning strike, there is a rapid flow of negative

charges from a cloud to the ground. In what direction is
a lightning strike deflected by the Earth’s magnetic
field?

Reasoning:
Negative charge flow down.
Positive Current upward.
B field direction Geo South to Geo North
I
Answer:
Force towards the west.

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11
Example: Wire in Earth’s B Field

A wire carries a current of 22 A from east to west. Assume that at this

location the magnetic field of the earth is horizontal and directed from south
to north, and has a magnitude of 0.50 x 10-4 T. Find the magnetic force on a
36-m length of wire. What happens if the direction of the current is
reversed?

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Example: Wire in Earth’s B Field

A wire carries a current of 22 A from east to west. Assume that at this location
the magnetic field of the earth is horizontal and directed from south to north,
and has a magnitude of 0.50 x 10-4 T. Find the magnetic force on a 36-m length
of wire. What happens if the direction of the current is reversed?

B=0.50 x 10-4 T. Fmax = BIl

I = 22 A
l = 36 m
Fmax = B I l
(
= 0.50  10 −4 T ) ( 22 A )( 36m )
= 4.0  10 −2 N

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Example 29.4 Force on a Semicircular Conductor

A wire bent into a semicircle of radius R forms a closed circuit and carries a current
I. The wire lies in the xy plane, and a uniform magnetic field is directed along the
positive y axis as in Figure 29.20. Find the magnitude and direction of the magnetic
force acting on the straight portion of the wire and on the curved portion.

Figure 29.20 The magnetic force on the straight

portion of the loop is directed out of the page, and
the magnetic force on the curved portion is directed
into the page
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 Example 29.4 Force on a Semicircular Conductor
A wire bent into a semicircle of radius R forms a closed circuit and carries a current I. The wire lies in
the xy plane, and a uniform magnetic field is directed along the positive y axis as in Figure 29.20.
Find the magnitude and direction of the magnetic force acting on the straight portion of the wire and
on the curved portion

F1 on the straight portion of the wire is out of the page

F2 on the curved portion is into the page

➢ dԦs is perpendicular to B everywhere on the

straight portion of the wire, the force on the
portion:

➢ The magnetic force F2 on the element dԦs

Figure 29.20 The magnetic force on
the straight portion of the loop is
directed out of the page, and the
magnetic force on the curved portion
ds = R dq
is directed into the page

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29.5. Torque on a Current Loop in a
Uniform Magnetic Field
Imagine a current loop in a magnetic field as follows:

I
B B F
F
a/2
b

F F
a

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 I
B B F
F
a/2
b

F F
a

F1 = F2 = BIb
 max = F1 a2 + F2 a2 = ( BIb ) a2 + ( BIb ) a2
 max = BIba = BIA
 = BIA sin q
In a motor, one has “N” loops of current  = NBIA sin q
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 29.5. Torque on a Current Loop in a Uniform Magnetic Field
➢ No magnetic forces act on sides 1
and 3 because these wires are
parallel to the field

for these sides

➢ Magnetic forces act on sides 2
and 4 oriented perpendicular to
the field

➢ The two forces point in opposite

directions but are not directed
along the same line of action.
These two forces produce Figure 29.21 (a) Overhead view of a rectangular current loop in a
about O a torque that rotates uniform magnetic field. (b) Edge view of the loop sighting down sides 2
and 4. The purple dot in the left circle represents current in wire 2
the loop clockwise. The coming toward you; the purple cross in the right circle represents
magnitude of this torque max is current in wire 4 moving away from you

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29.5. Torque on a Current Loop in a Uniform Magnetic Field

The magnitude of this torque max is

➢ The moment arm about O is b/2 for each force

➢ The area enclosed by the loop is A = ab
➢ The maximum torque as

The uniform magnetic field makes an angle q < 900 with a

line perpendicular to the plane of the loop as in Figure 29.22

Figure 29.22

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29.5. Torque on a Current Loop in a Uniform Magnetic Field

➢ A convenient vector expression for the

torque exerted on a loop placed in a
uniform magnetic field B is

(A. m2)

 the magnetic dipole moment (often simply

called the “magnetic moment”) of the loop Figure 29.23 Right-hand rule for
determining the direction of the vector
➢ A coil of wire contains N loops of the same A for a current loop. The direction of the
area, the magnetic moment of the coil is magnetic moment  is the same as the
direction of A

➢ The torque exerted on a current-carryin loop in the magnetic field B

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29.5. Torque on a Current Loop in a Uniform Magnetic Field

➢ The torque acting on an electric dipole in a uniform electric field E is

➢ The potential energy of the system of an electric dipole in a uniform external

electric field E is

This energy depends on the orientation of the dipole in the electric field.
➢ The potential energy of a system of a magnetic dipole in a magnetic field
depends on the orientation of the dipole in the magnetic field and is given by

❑ The system has its lowest energy Umin = -  B when  points in the same direction as B
❑ The system has its highest energy Umax = +  B when  points in the direction opposite B

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Example: Torque on a circular loop in a
magnetic field

A circular loop of radius 50.0 cm is oriented at an 30.0o

angle of 30.0o to a magnetic field of 0.50 T. The
current in the loop is 2.0 A. Find the magnitude of the
torque. B

r = 0.500 m  = NBIA sin q

q = 30o
= ( 0.50T )( 2.0 A )  ( 0.50m )  sin 30.0 o
 2
B = 0.50 T  
I = 2.0 A  = 0.39 Nm
N=1

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Example: triangular loop

A 2.00m long wire carrying a current of 2.00A forms a 1 turn loop in the
shape of an equilateral triangle. If the loop is placed in a constant magnetic
field of magnitude 0.500T, determine the maximum torque that acts on it.

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Example 29.5 The Magnetic Dipole Moment of a Coil

A rectangular coil of dimensions 5.40 cm x 8.50 cm consists of 25 turns of wire

and carries a current of 15.0 mA. A 0.350 T magnetic field is applied parallel to
the plane of the coil.
(A) Calculate the magnitude of the magnetic dipole moment of the coil
(B) What is the magnitude of the torque acting on the loop?

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Example 29.5 The Magnetic Dipole Moment of a Coil
A rectangular coil of dimensions 5.40 cm x 8.50 cm consists of 25 turns of wire
and carries a current of 15.0 mA. A 0.350 T magnetic field is applied parallel to
the plane of the coil.
(A) Calculate the magnitude of the magnetic dipole moment of the coil

(B) What is the magnitude of the torque acting on the loop?

B is perpendicular to 𝑐𝑜𝑖𝑙

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Galvanometer/Applications

Device used in the construction Scale

of ammeters and voltmeters.

Current loop
or coil

Magnet

Spring 26
Galvanometer used as Ammeter

Typical galvanometer have an internal resistance of the order of

60 W - that could significantly disturb (reduce) a current
measurement.
Built to have full scale for small current ~ 1 mA or less.
Must therefore be mounted in parallel with a small resistor or
shunt resistor.

Galvanometer
60 W

Rp

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 60 W
Galvanometer

Rp

• Let’s convert a 60 W, 1 mA full scale galvanometer to an

ammeter that can measure up to 2 A current.
• Rp must be selected such that when 2 A passes through the
ammeter, only 0.001 A goes through the galvanometer.
( 0.001A )( 60W ) = (1.999 A ) R p
R p = 0.03002W

• Rp is rather small!
• The equivalent resistance of the circuit is also small!
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Galvanometer used as Voltmeter
• Finite internal resistance of a galvanometer must also
addressed if one wishes to use it as voltmeter.
• Must mounted a large resistor in series to limit the current
going though the voltmeter to 1 mA.
• Must also have a large resistance to avoid disturbing
circuit when measured in parallel.

Rs Galvanometer
60 W

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 Rs Galvanometer
60 W

Maximum voltage across galvanometer:

Vmax = ( 0.001A )( 60W ) = 0.06V

Suppose one wish to have a voltmeter that can measure

voltage difference up to 100 V:
100V = ( 0.001A ) ( R p + 60W )
R p = 99940W Large resistance

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29.6. The Hall Effect
➢ When a current-carrying conductor is placed in a
magnetic field, a potential difference is generated
in a direction perpendicular to both the current and
the magnetic field. This phenomenon, first
observed by Edwin Hall (1855–1938) in 1879, is
known as the Hall effect
➢ A sensitive voltmeter connected across the
sample as shown in Figure 29.27 can measure the
potential difference, known as the Hall voltage
VH, generated across the conductor
➢ The magnetic force exerted on the carriers has
magnitude qvdB
➢ In equilibrium, this force is balanced by the electric
force qEH (EH is the magnitude of the electric field
due to thecharge separation). So
Figure 29.26 To observe the Hall
effect, a magnetic field is applied
to a current-carrying conductor.
➢ The Hall voltage is The Hall voltage is measured
between points a and c
d is the width of the conductor 31
29.6. The Hall Effect

➢ The average current in a conductor is related to the motion of the charge

carriers through the relationship

n is the density of charge carriers, q is the charge on each carrier, vd is the

drift speed, and A is the crosssectional area of the conductor

➢ We can obtain the charge-carrier density n by measuring the current in the

sample. And the drift speed:

is called the Hall coefficient

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Example 29.7 The Hall Effect for Copper
A rectangular copper strip 1.5 cm wide and 0.10 cm thick carries a current of
5.0 A. Find the Hall voltage for a 1.2-T magnetic field applied in a direction
perpendicular to the strip

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Example 29.7 The Hall Effect for Copper
A rectangular copper strip 1.5 cm wide and 0.10 cm thick carries a current of
5.0 A. Find the Hall voltage for a 1.2-T magnetic field applied in a direction
perpendicular to the strip

An electron per atom is available for conduction, find the chargecarrier density in terms
of the molar mass M and density  of copper

Such an extremely small Hall voltage is expected in good conductors

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What if the strip has the same dimensions but is made of a
semiconductor? Will the Hall voltage be smaller or larger?

➢ In semiconductors, n is much smaller than it is in metals that contribute one

electron per atom to the current; hence, the Hall voltage is usually larger
because it varies as the inverse of n.
➢ Currents on the order of 0.1 mA are generally used for such materials.
➢ Consider a piece of Silicon that has the same dimensions as the copper strip in
this example and whose value for
➢ n = 1.0 x 1020 electrons/m3 B = 1.2 T I = 0.10 mA
→ VH = 7.5 mV
➢ A potential difference of this magnitude is readily measured

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