Magnetic Force and Field

MODULE #6
Content

• Magnetic Force

• Magnetic Field

• Torque on a Magnetic Field

5/31/2022 PHY 108 2

Magnetic Field
Moving charges create magnetic field and magnetic field creates force on
moving charges.

Magnetic field can be produced by two ways:

1. By moving electrically charged particle, such as a current in the wire, to make an

electromagnet.

2. By utilizing the intrinsic magnetic field of electrons.

Magnetic field of electrons in certain materials add together to give a net magnetic field around
the material

Every magnet regardless of shape has two poles, called north (N) and south (S) poles. The poles received their names because of the way a
magnet behaves in the presence of the Earth’s magnetic field.

The Earth’s geographical North Pole is a magnetically south pole, whereas Earth’s geographical South Pole is a magnetically north pole.

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Magnetic Field Lines
Like electric field lines, similar rules apply to magnetic field:

(a) The direction of the tangent to a magnetic field line at any point gives the direction of 𝑩 at that point.

(b) The spacing of the lines represents the magnitude of 𝑩 – the magnetic field is stronger where the lines
are closer together.

Magnetic field lines enter one end of a magnet and exit the other end.

The end of a magnet from which the field lines emerge is called the north pole of
the magnet. The other end, where the field lines enter the magnet, is called the
south pole.

Opposite magnetic poles attract each other and like magnetic poles repel each other.

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Magnetic Force
Unlike electric field 𝐸, magnetic field 𝐵 is defined in a different way due to absence of magnetic monopoles.

EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS:
• The magnitude of the magnetic force 𝐹𝐵 exerted on a charge particle is proportional to both velocity 𝑣 and
magnetic field 𝐵.

• The magnitude and direction of 𝐹𝐵 depends on 𝑣 and 𝐵.

• The magnetic force 𝐹𝐵 vanishes when 𝑣 is parallel to 𝐵.

• When the sign of the charge of the particle is switched from positive to negative, the direction of the magnetic force
reverses.
𝐹𝐵 = magnetic force
Lorentz Force 𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)
𝑣 = velocity of the charged particle

The magnetic force on a moving charge is always perpendicular to both magnetic field and velocity of the moving charge.

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Right Hand Rule
To get the resultant direction for the force do the following:
1. Point your index finger (and your middle finger) along the direction of motion of the charge 𝑣.

2. Rotate your middle finger away from your index finger by the angle 𝜃 between 𝑣 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵.

3. Hold your thumb perpendicular to the plane formed by both your index finger and middle finger.

4. Your thumb will then point in the direction of the force 𝐹 if the charge 𝑞 is positive.

5. For 𝑞 < 0, the direction of the force is to opposite your thumb.

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Magnetic Field
The SI unit of magnetic field is tesla (T). 1 tesla = 10,000 gauss

Source of Field Field Magnitude (T)

Strong superconducting laboratory magnet 30

Medical MRI unit 1.5

Bar magnet 10−2

Surface of the Earth 0.5 × 10−4

Inside human brain (due to nerve pulses) 10−13

ELECTRIC FORCE VS. MAGNETIC FORCE

• The electric force vector is along the direction of the electric field, whereas the magnetic force vector is perpendicular to
the magnetic field.

• The electric force acts on a charged particle regardless of whether the particle is moving or not, whereas the magnetic
force acts on a charged particle only when the particle is in motion.

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Magnetic Force
Exercise #1

A uniform magnetic field with magnitude 1.2 𝑚𝑇 is directed vertically upward throughout the
volume of a laboratory chamber. A proton with kinetic energy 5.3 𝑀𝑒𝑉 enters the chamber
perpendicular to the magnetic field. What magnetic deflecting force acts on the proton, as it
enters the chamber. The proton mass is 1.67 × 10-27 kg.

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 Motion of a Charged Particle
𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)
𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞𝑣𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

The path of a charge inside a magnetic field depends on 𝜃, the angle between 𝐵 and 𝑣.

1 Straight – line motion (𝜃 = 0)

2 Spiral motion (𝜃 = 90°)

3 Helical motion (𝜃 < 90°)

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Motion of a Charged Particle
Spiral Motion

Since 𝑣 and 𝐵 are always perpendicular to each other, the positive

charge will move in a circular path. The direction of 𝑣 changes, but
the magnitude remains constant. As a result the magnitude of 𝐹𝐵
remains constant.

𝑚𝑣 2 𝑚𝑣 Fast particles move in

𝐹𝐵 = = 𝑞 𝑣𝐵 𝑟=
𝑟 𝑞𝐵 large circles

𝑣 𝑞𝐵 2𝜋𝑚
𝜔= = 𝑇=
𝑟 𝑚 𝑞𝐵

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Motion of a Charged Particle
Helical Motion

• The component of the velocity parallel to the

magnetic field remains unaffected

• Kinetic energy and speed of the particle remain

unchanged.

• The magnetic force is proportional to the

perpendicular component of velocity.

𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)

𝒗 is the perpendicular component

of velocity

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Motion of a Charged Particle
Exercise #2

A proton is moving in a circular orbit of radius 14 cm in a uniform 0.35 𝑇 magnetic field

perpendicular to the velocity of the proton. Find the linear speed of the proton.

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Motion of a Charged Particle
Exercise #3

In an experiment designed to measure the magnitude of a uniform magnetic field, electrons are
accelerated from rest through a potential difference of 350 𝑉 and then enter a magnetic field
that is perpendicular to the velocity vector of the electrons. The electrons travel along a curved
path because of the magnitude of the magnetic force exerted on them and the radius of the path
is measured to be 7.5 𝑐𝑚.

(a) What is the magnitude of the magnetic field?

(b) What is the angular speed of the electrons?

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Motion of a Charged Particle: Applications
A charge moving with a velocity 𝒗 in the presence of both an electric field E and magnetic field B
experiences both an electric force and magnetic force.

𝐹 = 𝑞𝐸 + 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)

Application #1: Velocity Selector

2𝑞(∆𝑉)
𝑣=
𝑚
𝐸
𝑞𝐸 = 𝑞𝑣𝐵 𝐸 = 𝑣𝐵 𝑣=
𝐵

Particles with speed 𝑣 pass un-deflected through mutually perpendicular electric field and magnetic field.
For any velocity greater or less than 𝑣, particles will be deflected either upward or downward.

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Motion of a Charged Particle: Applications
Application # 2: Mass Spectrophotometer

Key idea: Select particles of a certain velocity with a velocity

selector and then pass them through a magnetic field to bend
particles in a semicircular path to hit a fluorescent screen.

𝑚𝑣
𝑟=
𝑞𝐵0
𝐸
𝑆𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑣 = 𝐵 the mass of the particle can be written as
𝑞𝐵0 𝑟 𝑞𝐵0 𝐵𝑟
𝑚= =
𝑣 𝐸
Mass spectrometry has both qualitative and quantitative uses. These include identifying unknown compounds, determining the isotopic
composition of elements in a molecule, and determining the structure of a compound by observing its fragmentation. Other uses include
quantifying the amount of a compound in a sample. It is now in very common use in analytical laboratories that study physical, chemical, or
biological properties of a great variety of compounds.

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Magnetic Force
𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞(𝑣 × 𝐵)

𝐹𝐵 = 𝑞𝑣𝑑 𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

For a conductor of length 𝐿, time taken by conduction

electrons to drift past any plane perpendicular to a current
𝐿
carrying wire is 𝑡 = 𝑣 .
𝑑

𝐿 𝐿
𝑞 = 𝑖𝑡 = 𝑖 𝐹𝐵 = 𝑖 𝑣 𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑣𝑑 𝑣𝑑 𝑑

𝐹𝐵 = 𝑖(𝐿 × 𝐵)

𝑳 is a length vector that has a magnitude of 𝐿 and is directed along the wire segment in the direction of
the current.

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Magnetic Force
Exercise #4

A straight horizontal length of copper wire has a current 𝑖 = 28 𝐴 through it. What are the
magnitude and direction of the minimum magnetic field 𝐵 needed to suspend the wire? The
linear density of the wire is 46.6 𝑔/𝑚.

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Torque on a Current Loop
1 3 𝐿 × 𝐵 = 0; 𝐹1 = 𝐹3 = 0.

2 4 𝐹2 = 𝐹4 = 𝐼𝑎𝐵

The directions of F2 and F4 are opposite to each other: F2 :out of page & F4 : into the page , but
their line of actions are different. A torque will be created.

𝑏 𝑏
𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐹2 × + 𝐹4 × = 𝐼𝑎𝑏𝐵 = 𝐼𝐴𝐵
2 2

The maximum torque is valid when the magnetic field is parallel to the plane of the loop.

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Torque on a Current Loop
Consider the case: 𝜽 < 𝟗𝟎°
Let’s assume that the magnetic field B is perpendicular to sides 1 & 3

2 4 𝐹2 = 𝐹4 ; 𝑂𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑; 𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑙 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟

1 3 𝐹1 = 𝐹3 = 𝐼𝑏𝐵

𝑎 𝑎
𝜏 = 𝐹1 × 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 + 𝐹3 × 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝐼𝐴𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
2 2

𝜃 = 0°; 𝜏 = 0

𝜃 = 90°; 𝜏 = 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 Side view

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Torque on a Current Loop
𝜏 = 𝐼𝐴 × 𝐵

Where A is a vector perpendicular to the plane of the loop and has a magnitude equal to the area of the loop.

The product 𝐼 𝐴 is called the magnetic dipole moment, 

For a loop 𝜏 =𝜇×𝐵

For a coil having a number of loops N:

𝜏 = 𝑁𝜇 × 𝐵
Right hand rule is used to
The unit of magnetic dipole moment is 𝑨𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆 − 𝒎𝟐 determine the direction of A.

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Torque on a Current Loop
Exercise #5

A rectangular coil of dimensions 5.40 𝑐𝑚 × 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 loop.

(a) Calculate the magnitude of its magnetic dipole moment.

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

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 MAGNETIC SOURCES

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Biot-Savart Law
PROPERTIES OF MAGNETIC FIELD CREATED BY AN ELECTRIC CURRENT:
(BASED ON EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS)

• The vector 𝑑𝐵 is perpendicular both to 𝑑𝑠 and to the unit vector 𝑟

directed from 𝑑 𝑠 to P.

• The magnitude of 𝑑𝐵 is inversely proportional to 𝑟 2 , where r is

distance from 𝑑𝑠 to P.

• The magnitude of 𝑑𝐵 is proportional to the current and to the

magnitude 𝑑𝑠 of the length element 𝑑𝑠.

• The magnitude of 𝑑𝐵 is proportional to 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃, where  is the angle

between the vectors 𝑑𝑠 and 𝑟.

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Biot-Savart Law
The magnitude of the magnetic field at a point 𝑃 at distance 𝑟 by a current– length element

𝜇0 𝑖 𝑑𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑑𝐵 = ×
4𝜋 𝑟2

𝜇0 is permeability constant, 𝜇0 = 4𝜋 × 10−7 𝑇. 𝑚/𝐴.

 is the angle between the directions of 𝑑𝑠 and unit vector 𝑟 pointing from 𝑑𝑠 to 𝑟.

𝜇0 𝑖𝑑 𝑠 × 𝑟
𝑑𝐵 = × Biot-Savart Law
4𝜋 𝑟2

Note that the electric field created by a point charge is radial, but the magnetic field created by a current element is
perpendicular to both the length element 𝒅𝒔 and 𝒓.

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Biot-Savart Law: Applications
#1 MAGNETIC FIELD AROUND A THIN STRAIGHT CONDUCTOR

𝑑 𝑠 × 𝑟 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑆𝑖𝑛𝜃

𝜇0 𝐼 𝑑𝑥 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑑𝐵 = (From Biot-Savart Law)
4𝜋 𝑟2

𝜃2
𝜇0 𝐼 𝜇0 𝐼
𝐵= 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝜃 = (𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃2 )
4𝜋𝑎 𝜃1 4𝜋𝑎

If the wire is infinitely long, 𝜃1 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜃2 = 𝜋

𝜇0 𝐼
𝐵=
2𝜋𝑎

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Biot-Savart Law: Applications
#2 MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO A CURVED WIRE SEGMENT
Calculate the magnetic field due to a curved wire segment at point O.

Due to segment 𝐴𝐴′ 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶𝐶 ′: Magnetic field is zero (𝑑𝑠 ∥ 𝑟)

Each element ds along the path AC is at the same distance R from O, and the
current in each contributes a finite element dB directed into the page at O.
𝑑𝑠 × 𝑟 = 𝑑𝑠
The magnitude of the field at O due to the current in an element of length 𝑑𝑠

𝜇0 𝐼 𝑑𝑠 𝜇0 𝐼 𝜇0 𝐼
𝑑𝐵 = 𝐵= ×𝑠 𝐵= ×𝜃 (since 𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃)
4𝜋 𝑟 2 4𝜋𝑟 2 4𝜋𝑟
𝜇0 𝐼
For a circular wire, 𝐵=
2𝑟

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Magnetic Force between Two Parallel Conductors
𝜇0 𝐼2
The magnetic field exerted on wire 1 by wire 2 : 𝐵2 = 2𝜋𝑎
(The direction of 𝐵2 is perpendicular to wire 1)

Force acting on wire 1:

𝜇0 𝐼2 𝜇0 𝐼1 𝐼2
𝐹1 = 𝐼1 𝑙𝐵2 = 𝐼1 𝑙 = 𝑙
2𝜋𝑎 2𝜋𝑎
(The direction of 𝐹2 is perpendicular to wire 2)

Similarly, the force acting on wire 2 due the field created by wire 1 will act opposite to 𝐹1 . It means that
when currents in two wires are flowing parallel to each other, an attractive force will be created between
the wires.

Parallel conductors carrying currents in the same direction attract each other.
Parallel conductors carrying currents in the opposite directions repel each other.

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Magnetic Force between Two Parallel Conductors
𝜇0 𝐼1 𝐼2 𝐹𝐵 𝜇0 𝐼1 𝐼2 [ Magnetic force per unit
Magnetic force 𝐹𝐵 = 𝑙 = length remains constant ]
2𝜋𝑎 𝑙 2𝜋𝑎

𝐹𝐵
When 𝐼1 = 𝐼2 = 1 𝐴 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 = 1 𝑚, 𝑙
= 2 × 10−7 N/m

Definition of Ampere:

When the magnitude of the force per unit length between two long, parallel wires that carry identical
currents and are separated by 1m is 2 × 10−7 N/m, the current through each wire is defined to be 1 𝐴.

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Exercise #1
Two parallel wires are separated by 6 𝑐𝑚, each carrying 3 𝐴 of current in the same direction.

(a) What is the magnitude of the force per unit length between the wires?
(b) If a third wire carrying a current 𝑜𝑓 6 𝐴 in the opposite direction is placed in the middle of the wires,
find the magnitude of the net force per unit length acting on the third wire.

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Ampere’s Law
• Analogous to Gauss’ Law in electrostatics
• It simplifies the calculation of magnetic field by using a symmetry

The line integral of 𝐵. 𝑑 𝑠 around any closed path equals 𝜇0 𝐼, where I is the
total continuous current passing through any surface bounded by the
closed path.

𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐 (𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝)

Like Gauss’ law, Ampere’s law is always true, but we can use it to calculate
magnetic field when there is high level of symmetry.

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Ampere’s Law : Applications
#1 Thick Wire
A long straight wire of radius R carries a steady current 𝐼0 that is uniformly distributed through the cross-
section of the wire. Calculate the magnetic field at a distance r from the center of the wire in the regions
𝑟 ≥ 𝑅 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟 < 𝑅.

Case #1: 𝑟 ≥ 𝑅

𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐵 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐵 × 2𝜋𝑟 = 𝜇0 𝐼0 𝜇0 𝐼0
𝐵=
2𝜋𝑟

Case #2: 𝑟 < 𝑅

𝐼 𝜋𝑟 2
= 𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐵 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐵 × 2𝜋𝑟 = 𝜇0 𝐼
𝐼0 𝜋𝑅2
𝜋𝑟 2 𝜇0 𝐼0
𝐼= × 𝐼0 𝐵= ×𝑟
𝜋𝑅2 2𝜋𝑅2

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Ampere’s Law : Applications
#2 Solenoid

• Magnetic field is uniform inside and zero outside of an

ideal solenoid

𝑏 𝑐 𝑑 𝑎
𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 + 𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 + 𝐵. 𝑑 𝑠 + 𝐵. 𝑑𝑠 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑒𝑛𝑐
𝑎 𝑏 𝑐 𝑑

𝐵𝐿 + 0 + 0 + 0 = 𝜇0 𝑛𝐿𝐼

𝑩 = 𝜇0 𝑛𝐼

𝑛 = 𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑛𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ

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Magnetic Field of a Solenoid
A solenoid is a wire wound in the form of a helix.

• The field lines in the interior are nearly parallel to each other and uniformly
distributed.

• The field lines between the current elements of two adjacent turns tend to
cancel each other because the field vectors from two elements are in
opposite directions.

• The field is weak at P, because the field due to current elements on the
right-hand portion of a turn tends to cancel the fields due to current
elements on the left-hand portion.

An ideal solenoid is approached when the turns are closely spaced and the length is
much greater than the radius of the turns. In this case, the external field is zero and
the interior field is uniform.

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Magnetic Flux
Flux associated with magnetic field is defined in a manner similar to that
used to define electric flux.

𝜙𝐵 = 𝐵. 𝑑𝐴

𝑑𝐴 is a vector perpendicular to the surface.

For a plane of area A in a uniform field 𝐵 that makes an angle 𝜃 with 𝑑𝐴, the magnetic flux through the
plane is given by :
𝜙𝐵 = 𝐵𝐴 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

If the field is perpendicular to the plane, 𝜃 = 0 and the flux through the plane is 𝐵𝐴.

If the field is parallel to the plane, 𝜃 = 90° and the flux through the plane is zero.

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