Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Lesson 8.2
Ampère’s Law
Contents
Introduction 1

Learning Objectives 2

Warm Up 2

Learn about It! 4

Ampère’s Law 4
Applications of Ampère’s Law 7

Key Points 15

Key Formulas 16

Check Your Understanding 17

Challenge Yourself 19

Bibliography 20

Key to Try It! 21

Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Lesson 8.2

Ampère’s Law

Introduction
Shown above is a Tesla car, a modern-day wonder resulting from the limitless applications
of electricity and magnetism. This electric car contains a small but extremely powerful
permanent magnet motor, famously known for being “maintenance-free.”
Electromagnetism has certainly gone a long way—from the time ancient people began to
wonder about the nature of lightning, to Oersted’s experimental discovery of it in the year
1820, to the technological advancements it has contributed to our modern world.
Somewhere in the timetable of electromagnetism, another significant discovery endures:
that made by the French scientist André-Marie Ampère. Let us uncover what it is in the
lesson that follows.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Learning Objectives DepEd Competencies

In this lesson, you should be able to do the ● Evaluate the magnetic field vector
at any point along the axis of a
following:
circular current loop
● State Ampère’s Law. (STEM-GP12EMIIIi-64).
● Calculate magnetic fields for highly
● Identify different symmetrical current
symmetric current configurations
distributions. using the Ampere’s Law

● Determine the relationship of the (STEM-GP12EMIIIi-65).

● Solve problems involving magnetic
magnetic field to various variables
fields, forces due to magnetic
such as current, radius, and length. fields and the motion of charges

● Solve problems related to Ampère’s and current-carrying wires, in

contexts such as, but not limited
Law.
to, determining the strength of the
Earth’s magnetic field, cyclotrons,
mass spectrometers, and
solenoids
(STEM-GP12EMIIIi-64).

Warm Up

Magnetic Field of a Current Loop 5 minutes

This simple and straightforward simulation will easily help you visualize how the magnetic
field behaves in a circular current loop.

Materials
● laptop/tablet/computer
● pen
● sheet of paper

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Procedure
1. Use the link below to open the simulation.

Magnetic Field of a Current Loop

Wolfram Demonstrations Project, “Magnetic Field of a Current
Loop,” demonstrations.wolfram.com
https://demonstrations.wolfram.com/MagneticFieldOfACurre
ntLoop/, last accessed on April 16 2020.

The set-up consists of a current-carrying circular loop, along with the magnetic field
emanating from it, as shown in Fig. 8.2.1.

Fig. 8.2.1. Magnetic Field of a Current Loop

2. Note your observations about the initial condition, with both current and ring radius
halfway across their respective sliders.
3. Increase the ring radius while keeping the current at its initial value. Observe what
happens.
4. Set the ring radius slider back to the middle. Now, adjust the current slider to the
right to increase its value. Observe what happens.
5. Finally, adjust the ring radius and the current to their maximum values. Answer the
guide questions that follow.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Guide Questions
1. What does the yellow circle in the simulation signify? What about the blue lines?
2. What can you infer about how the blue lines were arranged and distributed inside
and outside the loop? What does this tell you about the magnetic field in the system?
3. What can you conclude about the relationship between the field, the current, and the
radius of a circular loop from the simulation?

Learn about It!

Similar to calculating the electric field of highly symmetrical charge distribution using
Gauss’s Law in your electrostatics lessons, there is an efficient tool to help us identify the
magnetic field of highly symmetrical current distributions in magnetostatics. We call it
Ampère’s Law.

How do we determine the magnetic field in highly

symmetrical current distributions?

Ampère’s Law
Ampère’s Law states that the magnetic field due to an electric current is proportional to
that current. For a given closed loop path, such as the one shown in Fig. 8.2.2, the sum of
the products of the length elements and the field found in the length element’s direction is
equal to the product of the magnetic constant and the current within the loop.

Fig. 8.2.2. An arbitrary closed path surrounding a current

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Did You Know?

André-Marie Ampère (pronounced uhm-pair) was a French
physicist and mathematician who founded electrodynamics. He
made the groundbreaking discovery that a magnetic attraction
exists between two wires whose electric currents are flowing in a
similar direction. This solidified the interdependence between
electricity and magnetism, which we know now as one term:
electromagnetism.

If we must suppose that two or more long, horizontal current-carrying wires are passing
through a given surface, such as the one shown in Fig. 8.2.3, the net magnetic field at any
given point on the path is also the vector sum of the magnetic fields arising from each
conductor.

Fig. 8.2.3. Perspective view of three current-carrying wires through a closed surface

With these considerations, Ampère’s Law is thus determined by:

Equation
8.2.1

where

is the magnetic field due to a current;

is the vector length of the element;

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

is the magnetic constant; and

is the net current enclosed by the path.

Fig. 8.2.4. Top view of the three wires from Figure 8.2.3

Fig. 8.2.3, Fig. 8.2.4, and the formulation of Ampère’s Law imply that the line integral of the
magnetic field around the closed surface is also equal to the scalar product of the field and

the path’s vector segment , which in turn, is also equal to the product of the
magnetic constant (or the magnetic permeability in free space), and the total enclosed

current within the path .

Did You Know?

An interesting new definition of the ampere arises from all these
notions. With respect to the magnetic force between two
current-carrying wires, 1 ampere may be defined as the electric
current traversing in each of two parallel wires separated by a

distance of r = 1m, resulting to a force that is exactly of

the length of each wire.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

What is Ampère’s Law?

Applications of Ampère’s Law

Ampère’s Law is immensely beneficial in finding the magnetic field due to
highly-symmetrical current distributions, such as the circular loops shown in the illustrations
below:

Fig. 8.2.5. Different symmetric current distributions

Inside a long, straight, current-carrying conductor (shown in Fig. 8.2.5c and d), the
magnetic field increases with the radius r. Outside each wire, the field is equal to that of a
straight conductor and decreases with r. This is given by the equation:

Equation
8.2.2

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

In a long, cylindrical conductor, such as the one in Fig. 8.2.6, the distribution of the
current follows a coaxial symmetry, thus the field lines are concentric circles in the axis.
Recall that for these conductors, the magnitude of the magnetic field is the same at every
point on the circular integration path and the direction is always tangential to this path.

Fig. 8.2.6. Magnetic field in a long, cylindrical conductor

Integrating the principles of Ampère’s Law in the configuration of a long, cylindrical

conductor will lead us to the same equation used for long, straight, current-carrying

conductors, .

Remember
Outside a cylindrically symmetric current distribution such as a
cylindrical conductor, the field is similar to that of a long, straight

wire. There, is unaffected by the radius R over which the

electric current is distributed.

In a solenoid, or a conductor consisting of a coil of wire, such as that in Figure 8.2.5a, each
of the several closely-arranged coils may be treated as a circular loop with symmetric
current distribution.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Fig. 8.2.7. Field lines in the xy- and xz-planes of a solenoid

Observe in Fig. 8.2.7 that each turn carries an equal amount of current as with the rest of
the turns around the solenoid. The total field at each point is equal to the vector sum of the
fields due to each turn. In a given length L, there are a number of turns (nL) that flow
through the points a, b, c, and d, such that the net electric current enclosed by the rectangle
is Iencl. From Ampere’s Law, we can derive the formula for the field of a solenoid as:

Equation
8.2.3

In a toroidal solenoid, or a doughnut-shaped solenoid, such as that shown in Fig. 8.2.8,

an n number of turns of current-carrying wire surrounds a conductor.

Fig. 8.2.8. A toroidal solenoid

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Each turn may be viewed as a loop found in a plane at a 90-degree angle to the axis of the
circular toroid. This symmetry implies that the field lines will be concentric circles relative to
the axis of the toroid.

Fig. 8.2.9. Magnetic field due to the current in a toroidal solenoid

Consider the cross-section of a toroidal solenoid shown in Fig. 8.2.9. You may consider a
toroid as a straight solenoid that has been tightly bound and bent into a circle. In Path 1, the
magnetic field is zero. Each turn passes through the area covered by Path 3 twice such that
the total electric current is also zero. Integrating these ideas into Ampère’s Law, the
equation to calculate the magnetic field due to toroids is thus given by:

Equation
8.2.4

Tips
Here are a few takeaways before we proceed to dealing with
problems related to Ampère’s Law:
1. Ampère’s Law is only applicable if all electrical currents
under consideration are independent of time.
2. Only the currents traversing the region inside the path
must have some contribution to the field.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

3. Do not forget to consider which algebraic sign is valid for

each current. Those heading out of the chosen surface
must be positive, and those heading into the surface must
be negative.

Let’s Practice!

Example 1
A long, straight current-carrying wire has a circular loop with a 7.5-mm radius. If the current
flowing through this closed loop is 5.5 A, what is the magnitude of the magnetic field due to
this current?

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to solve for the magnetic field due to the 5.5-A current.

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The radius of the loop, 7.5 mm, and the current, 5.5 A are given.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

Step 5: Find the answer.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

The magnitude of the magnetic field of the long, straight current-carrying wire is
1.47✕10-4 T.

1 Try It!
Another long, straight current-carrying wire has a circular loop with a 13.44-mm
radius. If the current flowing through this closed loop is 10.0 A, what is the magnitude
of the magnetic field due to this current?

Example 2
A huge solenoid is being constructed to yield a uniform 0.220-T magnetic field near its
center. Suppose a given extremely long wire is available to make 3 500 circular turns around
this conductor. If the solenoid has to be 65.0-cm long and 3.5-cm in diameter, how much
electric current is needed to produce the given field?

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to calculate the electric current needed to produce the 0.220-T field.

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The magnetic field, 0.220 T, the number of turns, 3500, the length, 65.0 cm, and
the diameter of the solenoid, 3.5 cm are given. Recall, however, that the field
inside a solenoid is not affected by the radius.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

Recall the equation for the magnetic field in solenoids: . Since ,

the formula becomes .

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Derive I from the equation , as follows:

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

Step 5: Find the answer.

The electric current needed to produce the 0.220-T field is 32.5 A.

2 Try It!
Suppose another solenoid is to be designed to produce a uniform 1.350-T magnetic
field near its center, and a very long wire will be wound around it 4750 times. If the
solenoid has to be 45.65-cm long and 7.8-cm in diameter, how much electric current
is needed to produce the given field?

Example 3
A toroid of inner radius 151.99 mm and an outer radius of 177.64 mm carries an electric
current of 2.35 A. How many times must the wire be wound about it such that the toroid will
yield a magnetic field of 7.89 mT at points within the coils 14.88 cm distant from the center?

Solution
Step 1: Identify what is required in the problem.
You are asked to determine the number of turns the toroidal solenoid must have.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Step 2: Identify the given in the problem.

The inner radius, 151.99 mm, the outer radius, 177.64 mm, the current, 2.35 A,
magnetic field, 7.89 mT, and the radius from the center, 14.88 cm. Recall that the
magnetic field due to the current in solenoids does not depend on the inner and
outer radii.

Step 3: Write the working equation.

Derive n from the equation for the toroidal magnetic-field magnitudes

, as follows:

Step 4: Substitute the given values.

Step 5: Find the answer.

The number of turns the toroidal solenoid must have to yield a 7.89-mT field magnitude is
2 497.

3 Try It!
Consider a second toroidal solenoid with inner radius 134 mm and an outer radius of
188.76 mm carrying an 11.74-A current. How many times must the wire be wound
about it such that the toroid will yield a magnetic field of 15.61 mT at points within
the coils 21.35 cm distant from the center?

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

What is the importance of Ampère’s Law?

Key Points
___________________________________________________________________________________________

● Ampère’s Law states that the magnetic field due to an electric current is
proportional to the current. For a given closed loop path, the sum of the products of
the length elements and the field found in the length element’s direction is equal to
the product of the magnetic constant and the current within the loop.
● 1 ampere may be defined as the electric current traversing in each of two parallel
wires separated by a distance of r = 1 m, resulting to a force that is exactly

of the length of each wire.

● Ampère’s Law is immensely beneficial in finding the magnetic field due to
highly-symmetrical current distributions, such as the circular loops found in long,
straight, current-carrying conductors, in long, cylindrical conductors, in
solenoids, and in toroidal solenoids.
___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Key Formulas
___________________________________________________________________________________________

Concept Formula Description

Ampère’s Law Use this general formula for

problems related to
Ampère’s Law.
where:
● is the magnetic field
due to a current
● is the vector length of
the element
● is the magnetic
constant
● is the net current
enclosed by a path

Magnetic Field of a Use this formula to solve for

Long, Straight, the magnitude of the
Current-Carrying magnetic field of a long,
Conductor straight, current-carrying
where:
conductor if the current
● B is the magnitude of the
and the radius are given.
magnetic field
Use the same formula to
● is the magnetic solve for the magnitude of
constant the magnetic field of a
● I is the current long, cylindrical
● r is the radius conductor.

Magnetic Field of a Use this formula to solve for

Solenoid the magnitude of the
magnetic field of a
where:
solenoid if the number of
● B is the magnitude of the
turns and the current are
magnetic field
given.
● is the magnetic
constant

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

● n is the number of turns

● I is the current

Magnetic Field of a Use this formula to solve for

Toroidal Solenoid the magnitude of the
magnetic field of a
toroidal solenoid if the
where:
number of turns, the
● B is the magnitude of the
current, and the radius are
magnetic field
given.
● is the magnetic
constant
● n is the number of turns
● I is the current
● r is the radius

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Check Your Understanding

A. Identify whether each statement is true or false.

___________ 1. Ampère’s Law states that the magnetic field due to an

electric current is inversely proportional to the current.

___________ 2. Ampère’s Law is given by .

___________ 3. 1 ampere is equivalent to the electric current flowing in a

single 1-meter wire.

___________ 4. Inside a long, straight, current-carrying conductor the

magnetic field increases with the radius.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

___________ 5. The magnetic field magnitudes of a long, straight,

current-carrying conductor and a long, cylindrical
conductor are determined similarly.

___________ 6. In a cylindrical conductor, each of the several

closely-arranged coils may be treated as a circular loop with
symmetric current distribution.

7. In Ampère’s Law, the line integral of the magnetic field

___________ around the closed surface is equal to the scalar product of
the field and the path’s vector segment.

___________ 8. A toroid is doughnut-shaped solenoid.

___________ 9. In a long, cylindrical conductor, the field lines are concentric

circles with respect to the axis.

___________ 10. Ampère’s Law is often used to calculate the field magnitude
of non-symmetrical current distributions.

B. Fill in the table below with the missing information.

Current Point in Magnetic Field Magnitude of the Magnetic

Distribution Field

General Equation for Ampère’s Law

Circular loop of At the center of the loop 1. _________________

radius r

Long, Straight, At a distance r from the 2. _________________

Current-Carrying conductor
Conductor

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Long Cylindrical Inside the conductor 3. _________________

Conductor

Outside the conductor 4. _________________

Solenoid Inside the solenoid 5. _________________

Outside the solenoid 6. _________________

Toroidal Within the space between 7. _________________

Solenoid each turn

At circular path 1 R distant 8. _________________

from the radius

At circular path 2 R distant 9. _________________

from the radius

At circular path 3 R distant 10. _________________

from the radius

Challenge Yourself

Answer the questions below.

1. Explain the connection between Gauss’s Law and Ampère’s Law.

2-4. Consider the amperian cross-section below. Let I1 = 4.0 A, I2 = 6.0 A, and I3= 2.0 A
across the four paths a, b, c, and d. Determine the line integral in each path if each
integral goes around the path counterclockwise.

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Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

5. Consider a magnetic field equivalent to 3.72✕107 μT.

a. Determine the electric current needed to yield that field magnitude if the
field is 20 mm from a long, straight wire.
b. Determine the electric current needed to yield that field magnitude at the
center of a circular coil with radius 420 mm, with 100 n of turns.

Bibliography
Faughn, Jerry S. and Raymond A. Serway. Serway’s College Physics (7th ed). Singapore:
Brooks/Cole, 2006.

Giancoli, Douglas C. Physics Principles with Applications (7th ed). USA: Pearson Education,
2014.

Halliday, David, Robert Resnick and Kenneth Krane. Fundamentals of Physics (5th ed). USA:
Wiley, 2002.

Knight, Randall D. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th ed). USA:
Pearson Education, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern
Physics (9th ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Walker, James S. Physics (5th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2017.

8.2. Ampère’s Law 20

Unit 8: Sources of Magnetic Field

Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s University
Physics with Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.

Key to Try It!

1. 1.49 ✕ 10-4 T
2. 103.22 A
3. 1419

8.2. Ampère’s Law 21