The ampere is defined through the magnetic force between two

parallel wires. If the force on a 1 m length of two wires that are

1 m apart and carrying equal currents is 2 × 10−7 N, then the
current in each wire is defined to be 1 A.

The coulomb is defined in terms of the ampere as the amount of charge

that flows past a certain point in a wire when a current of 1 A flows for 1 s.
The ampere is equal to a coulomb divided by a second; but it is defined
as above.

Nature of science
Introduced in the 19th century by Michael Faraday as ‘lines of force’, the
concept of magnetic field lines allowed scientists to visualise the magnetic
field around a magnet, and the magnetic field around a moving charge. A
few years later, in one of the greatest unifications in physics, James Clerk
Maxwell showed that all magnetic phenomena and electric phenomena
are different sides of the same general phenomenon, electromagnetism,
and that light is a combination of electric and magnetic fields. In the early
20th century, Albert Einstein showed that viewing electric and magnetic
phenomena from different frames of reference leads naturally to the theory
of relativity. At about the same time, trying to understand magnetism in
different materials required the introduction of quantum theory.

? Test yourself
37 Draw the magnetic field lines for two parallel 39 Draw the magnetic field lines that result when
wires carrying equal currents into the page. the magnetic field of a long straight wire
Repeat for anti-parallel currents. carrying current into the page is superimposed
38 Determine the direction of the missing quantity on a uniform magnetic field pointing to the
from B, v and F in each of the cases shown in the right that lies on the page.
diagram. The circle represents a positive charge.
F v
F

v B
v
a b c

B
v
v
d e

5 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 241

 40 A long straight wire carries current as shown in 43 A bar magnet is placed in a uniform magnetic
the diagram. Two electrons move with velocities field as shown in the diagram.
that are parallel and perpendicular to the current.
Determine the direction of the magnetic force

S
experienced by each electron. N S

N
a Suggest whether there is a net force on the
a b bar magnet.
b Determine how it will move.
41 A proton moves past a bar magnet as shown in 44 A high-tension electricity wire running along a
the diagram. Find the direction of the force it north–south line carries a current of 3000 A. The
experiences in each case. magnetic field of the Earth at the position of the
N S N S N S wire has a magnitude of 5.00 × 10−5 T and makes
velocity out an angle of 30° below the horizontal. Calculate
of page the force experienced by a length of 30.0 m of
a b c
the wire.
45 a An electron of speed v enters a region of
42 The diagram shows two parallel plates. The
magnetic field B directed normally to its
electric field is directed from top to bottom
velocity and is deflected into a circular path.
and has magnitude 2.4 × 103 N C–1. The shaded
Deduce an expression for the number of
region is a region of magnetic field normal to
revolutions per second the electron will make.
the page.
b The electron is replaced by a proton. Suggest
+ whether the answer to a changes.
46 A uniform magnetic field is established in the
plane of the paper as shown in the diagram.
Two wires carry parallel currents of equal
–
magnitudes normally to the plane of the paper at
P and Q. Point R is on the line joining P to Q
a Deduce the magnetic field magnitude and
and closer to Q. The magnetic field at position R
direction so that an electron experiences zero
is zero.
net force when shot through the plates with a
a Determine whether the currents are going
speed of 2.0 × 105 m s−1.
into the paper or out of the paper.
b Suggest whether a proton shot with the same
b The magnitude of the current is increased
speed through the plates experiences zero net
slightly. Determine whether the point where
force.
the magnetic field is zero moves to the right
c The electron’s speed is doubled. Suggest
or to the left of R.
whether the electron would it still be
undeflected for the same magnetic field found
in a.
P R Q

242