20 Magnetic Fields

20.1 Concept of 20.2 Force on a

magnetic current carrying
field conductor

20 Magnetic Fields

20.3 Force on 20.4 Magnetic 20.5

a moving fields due Electromagnetic
charge to currents induction.
20.3 Force on a moving charge
20.3 Force on a moving charge

Candidates should be able to:

20.3.1 determine the direction of the force on a charge moving in a magnetic field

20.3.2 recall and use F = BQv sin θ

20.3.3 understand the origin of the Hall voltage and derive and use the
BI , where t = thickness
expression VH = ntq

20.3.4 understand the use of a Hall probe to measure magnetic flux density

20.3.5 describe the motion of a charged particle moving in a uniform magnetic

field perpendicular to the direction of motion of the particle

20.3.6 explain how electric and magnetic fields can be used in velocity selection
 Observing The Force

▪ Charge particles and electric currents are affected by fields to

interpret diagrams of moving particles.
▪ A beam of moving particles, producing an electric current.
▪ If the beam were to move perpendicularly into a magnetic field;
- then every charged particle would experience a force.
▪ A beam of electrons is produced by an “electron gun” and can be
used to demonstrate the magnetic force on a moving charge.
▪ For positively charged particles;
- this is the direction of the current.

▪ For negatively charged particles; -

- the conventional current is, opposite to the
direction of the beam.

▪ And we could find the force moving through the

magnetic field can be predicted using Fleming’s Left
Hand.
▪ Electron (from right to
left) – is negative
charged, current is
opposite.

▪ Magnetic is directed
into the paper.

▪ Using the Fleming’s Left Hand rule, the force will be upward.
▪ If the beam moves in a plane that is perpendicular to the
magnetic field; - the path will describe an arc of a circle.
▪ The force always acts on the particles; - always at 90o to the
direction of motion.

▪ There is no component in the direction of motion;

- so the force will not change the speed of the particles, only the
direction.
▪ As the beam is always at 90o to the field lines;
- force acts as a centripetal force, produces uniform circular
motion.
 Force on electric charge moving in a magnetic field

The magnetic field exerts a These forces combine to

A particle moving with a
force on the particle, give the particle a circular
velocity (v) moves into a
perpendicular to the orbit within the magnetic
magnetic field.
velocity of the particle. field.
If the electron enters the field at an angle to the field direction,
the resulting path of the electron (or indeed any charged
particle) will be helical (spiral around the magnetic field) as
shown in figure below.
 Force on electric charge moving in a magnetic field

▪ Consider a wire:
Length = L
No. of electron = N
Thus, total charge, Q = Nq ------- (1)
q = charge for one electron
= 1.6 x 10-19 C

▪ Each electron, velocity = v

𝐿
Time taken to move distance, L = t or t= --------------- (2)
𝑣
 𝑄
Rate of charge flow, I =
𝑡

From (1) and (2);

𝑁𝑞𝑣
We can write, I = -------------- (3)
𝐿

From, F = BIL sin 𝜃 and (3);

𝑁𝑞𝑣
Force on N number of electron, FN = B ( ) L sin 𝜃 = BNqv sin 𝜃
𝐿
 𝐹𝑁 BNqv sin 𝜃
Force on one electron, F = =
𝑁 𝑁

Thus, F = Bqv sin 𝜽

▪ So, we conclude that the factors that determined the size of the
force on a moving charged:

where; B = The magnetic flux density, B

q = charge of each particle
v = particles velocity
𝜃 = angle between v and B
Points to note:

❑ Change of an electron or proton = 1.6 x 10-19 C

❑ Direction of charge:

Fleming’s Left Hand Rule (FLHR)

Proton (positive) Electron (negative)

(Normal FLHR) (FLHR at right hand)
o If a charged particle is moving
perpendicular to a uniform
magnetic field, its path will be a
circle.
o The force is always perpendicular
to v, the magnitude v does not
change (constant speed).
o So, the particle moves in a circle
and undergoes a centripetal
force,

𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑭=
𝒓
▪ From Newton’s second law:
∑𝑭 = 𝒎𝒂
▪ The centripetal force is provided by the magnetic force Bev

𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝑩𝑸𝒗 =
𝒓

▪ To find the radius of the circle:

𝒎𝒗 𝒎𝒗 𝒑
𝒓= 𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒓
𝑩𝑸 𝑩𝒆 𝑩𝒆

▪ where p is the momentum of the particle, and m is the mass of

the particle.
 𝒎𝒗
The equation 𝒓 = shows that:
𝑩𝒆

❑If the particle has a higher momentum, then its circle of motion
will have a larger radius (𝒓 ∝ 𝒗)

❑Particles with greater masses also move in bigger circles (𝒓 ∝ 𝒎)

❑A stronger magnetic field strength, or a larger charge, will make

𝟏
the radius smaller (𝒓 ∝ )
𝑩
Example
Calculate force act on a proton which is moving with velocity of 3 x 107
ms-1 across a magnetic field of 1.5 Wbm-2, if :
a) Velocity is vertically to the magnetic field.
b) Velocity is making an angle of 50o to the magnetic field.
Question
Q The diagram shows an electron moving at a constant speed of
8.0106 ms−1 in a plane perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field of
magnetic flux density 4.0 mT.

a. Calculate the force acting

on the electron due to the
magnetic field.
b. What is the centripetal
acceleration of the
electron?
c. Use your answer to b to determine the
radius of the circular path described by
the electron.
 Electric and magnetic fields

Principles of electron deflection

The deflection tube

▪ A deflection tube is designed to
show a beam of electron passing
through a combination of electric
and magnetic field.

▪ We can balance the two forces on

the electron, the beam will
remain horizontal.

▪ The magnetic field is provided by two coils (called Helmholtz coils –

very uniform field).

▪ If the electron beam remain straight, it follow the electric and magnetic
forces must have same magnitude and act in opposite direction.
 Electric and magnetic fields

The deflection tube Helmholtz coils

 When the electron beam remains straight (no deflection), it follows that
the electric and magnetic forces on each electron must have the same
magnitude and act in opposite directions.

o Electric force (upward) = magnetic force (downward)

𝑒𝐸 = 𝐵𝑒𝑣
𝐸 𝑉
𝑣= (➔ when no deflection), 𝐸 =
𝐵 𝑑

Where; 𝑉
v = electron velocity 𝑣=
𝐵𝑑
E = electric field strength
B = magnetic field strength
A velocity selector
 E
V=
B
▪ Balancing the effects of magnetic and
electric is also used in device called
velocity selector.
▪ Used in devices such as mass
spectrometer – can measure masses
and produces a beam of charged
particle with moving same velocity.

▪ They have the same charge and mass but different speeds.
▪ Only particles with certain speed emerge undeflected from the slit, S.If it
𝐸 𝑉
has speed greater than @ , the downward magnetic force (FB) on it
𝐵 𝐵𝑑
will be greater than the upward electric force (FE).
▪ Thus, it will deflected downwards and it will hit below slit, S.
Mass spectrometer
 𝑒
The charge-to-mass ratio of an electron,
𝑚𝑒

1
∆ mv2 = e ∆Vca
2

2𝑒𝑉𝑐𝑎
v= 𝑚

▪ Consider 2 electrodes : cathode and anode

▪ Initial electron is at cathode (at rest)
▪ Supply potential difference, V between electrode
▪ Potential difference will give kinetic energy to electron:
kinetic energy = work done bring electron from cathode to anode
▪ For electron,

1
∆ 𝑚𝑣 2 = 𝑒∆𝑉𝑐𝑎
2

𝑚𝑣 Ber
▪ From, 𝑟 = (from previous eq.) → v =
𝐵𝑒 m

1 𝐵𝑒𝑟 2
𝑚 = 𝑒∆𝑉𝑐𝑎
2 𝑚

𝑒 2∆𝑉𝑐𝑎
=
𝑚 𝐵2 𝑟 2

𝑒
= specific charge
me
Points to note:

𝑒
1. The specific charge of electron, = 1.76 x 1011 Ckg-1
𝑚

2. For H+ ion the specific charge is 2000 times greater, thus electron is
lighter than hydrogen.
Example

The diagram shows two parallel,

horizontal plates separated by a
vertical distance of 3.0 cm.
The potential difference between
the plates is 600 V.

a. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the electric field between the plates
b. Describe the electric field between the plates.
c. A charged oil droplet of weight 6.4  10−15 N is held stationary between the
two plates.
i. State whether the charge on the droplet is positive or negative.
Explain your answer.
ii. Determine the charge on the oil droplet.
Example
 The Hall Effect

o The Hall effect is the production

of a potential difference across
an electrical conductor when an
external magnetic field is applied
in a direction perpendicular to
the current.

o Or the production of a voltage

across a conductor when a
current flows through the The Hall voltage is produced
conductor at right angles. across the side of the slice of
conductor
 The Hall Effect
o Probe is made of semiconductor –
material which conducts electric current.
o The electrons move much faster in a
semiconductor than in a metal for a
given current and the effect is much
greater.
o A metal typically has one free electron
per atom. A semiconductor has one free
electron per million atoms.
o So, its electrical conductivity will be of
the order of one-millionth of that of a
metal.
1) When an electric current flows
through a material, electrons
(shown here as blue blobs) move
through it in pretty much a
straight line.

2) Put the material in a

magnetic field and the
electrons inside it are in the
field too. A force acts on
them and makes them bend
from their straight-line path
(Fleming’s Left hand rule).
3) With more electrons (accumulate) on the
one side making it negatively charged and
the other side positively charged. There
would be a difference in potential (a
voltage) between the two sides.

4) This effect is called Hall Effect.

 (Figure) semiconductor material
under the influence of (a) Electric
field (b) Electric field and magnetic
field.

Electron
Direction of conventional current
Direction of electron movement
Direction of applied magnetic field
1) The charge is detected as a small
voltage across the probe known
as the Hall Voltage.

2) The size of this voltage is

directly proportional to the size
of the electric current and the
strength of the magnetic field.

3) The control box amplifies the

voltage, and it is displayed by
the meter.
▪ Consider the forces on an electron, when they are balanced.
▪ The magnetic force, 𝐹𝑚 is given by:
𝐹𝑚 = 𝐵𝑒𝑣 ……………….. 1
▪ The electric force, 𝐹𝐸 is given by:
𝐹𝐸 = 𝑒𝐸 ……………….…. 2
▪ For a uniform electric field;
𝑉𝐻
𝐸= …………..…....... 3
𝑑
→ d = the width of the slice.
▪ Substituting (3) into (2):
𝑒𝑉𝐻
𝐹𝐸 = ------- (electric force)
𝑑
▪ Equating the magnetic force with the electric force (Fm = FE):
𝑒𝑉𝐻
𝐵𝑒𝑣 =
𝑑
𝐼
▪ The Drift Velocity equation, 𝐼 = 𝑛𝐴𝑣𝑒, 𝑣 =
𝑛𝐴𝑒

𝐵𝑒𝐼 𝑒𝑉𝐻
▪ Substitute drift velocity equation: =
𝑛𝐴𝑒 𝑑

▪ Making 𝑉𝐻 the subject and cancelling e:

𝐵𝐼𝑑
𝑉𝐻 = with 𝐴 = 𝑑 𝑥 𝑡, t = the thickness of the slice
𝑛𝐴𝑒

𝐵𝐼𝑑 𝑩𝑰
𝑉𝐻 = ➔ 𝑽𝑯 =
𝑛 𝑑𝑡 𝑒 𝒏𝒕𝒆
 𝑩𝑰
𝑽𝑯 =
𝒏𝒕𝒆

▪ VH is directly proportional to the magnetic flux density, B

for given slice and current.
▪ For semiconductors, the charge carriers are not electrons,
but positively charged (holes).
▪ We can write a more general equation for the Hall voltage;

𝑩𝑰
𝑽𝑯 =
𝒏𝒕𝒒
 𝑩𝑰 𝑩𝑰
𝑽𝑯 = =
𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒏𝒕𝒒

where; I = current flow

n = charge carrier density
e = charge value (electron)
q = charge value (proton)
A=txd
= cross sectional area of current flow
v = charge drift velocity
Example
A strip of metal with thickness of about 450 𝜇m is placed in magnetic
field 1.5 T and current flow through it is 2.0 A. If density of charge
carrier in the metal is 5.8 x 1027 m-3, determine hall voltage across the
metal.
Example
A strip of metal with a width of 0.8 cm and thickness of 625 𝜇m with a
current flow of 30 A is placed in magnetic field of 5.0 T. If the hall
voltage across the strip width is 24 𝜇V, determine:

a) Drift velocity, v
b) Density of charge carrier, n in the metal
Question
A magnetic field of flux density B is normal to face PQRS of a slice of a
conducting material, as shown in Fig. below.
A current I in the slice is
normal to face QRZY of the
slice. The Hall voltage VH
across the slice is given by the
BI
expression VH =
ntq
(a) (i) State what is represented
by the symbol n.
(ii) The symbol t represents the length of one side of the slice. Use
letters from Fig. to identify t.
(b) (i) In general, the Hall voltage produced in a slice of a metal is
very small. For a slice of the same dimensions with the same
current and magnetic flux density, the Hall voltage produced
in a semiconductor material is much larger. Suggest and
explain why

(ii) In some semiconducting materials, electrons are mainly

responsible for conduction. In other semiconducting materials,
holes are mainly responsible for conduction. Suggest and explain
the difference, if any, that conduction by electrons or by holes
will have on the Hall voltage
The end