MAGNETIC FIELDS

Magnetism can be defined as physical phenomenon that are formed by magnetic fields. Magnetism and
electricity are closely related. Electric current give rise to magnetic field and magnetic field also acts on
current.

Magnetic field is the portion of space near a magnetic body or a current carrying body in which the
magnetic force due to the body or current can be detected.

Any magnet has two ends or faces called poles. Where the magnetic effect is the strongest. If a bar is
suspended from a fine thread, it is found that one pole of the magnet will always point towards the North.
This is the principle of a compass. A compass needle is a bar magnet which is supported at its center of
gravity so that it can freely rotate. A bar magnet has its magnetism concentrated mainly at the ends or
poles. These poles are called North (N) and South (S).

The magnetic field is characterized by a vector B, which is sometimes called the magnetic flux density or
the magnetic induction. Magnetic field exist wherever there is force on a magnetic pole. The direction of
a magnetic field (B) at any point is the direction that the North pole of a compass at that location would
point. This is demonstrated by placing a compass needle at a point near the North pole of a bar magnet,
the needle turns round on its pivot and settles in a fixed direction. At other points away from the pole, the
magnet exerts a magnetic force in this area and the region around the magnet is called magnetic field.
Two magnetic fields acting at the same place, the resultant field has a special feature. At a particular point,
if the compass needle does not point in any particular direction, then there is no net magnetic field at the
point. Such a point is called neutral point or the null point. A neutral point is where the resultant magnetic
field is zero.

The magnetic field lines can also be demonstrated by sprinkling iron filings on a sheet of paper laid on
magnet and tapping the paper lightly. The iron fillings are converted into smaller magnet by induction.

Magnetic field can be produced in two ways;

1. Using permanent magnet and

2. Electric current

Two bar magnets will either attract each other or repel each other. Magnetic poles always occur in pair,
never singly. Two opposite poles form a magnetic dipole. If a magnet is broken in an attempt to separate
the poles, one finds two new magnets each having a north and south pole. There are no experimental
evidence for magnetic monopoles.
We represent magnetic field pattern by drawing magnetic field lines.

The properties of the magnetic line of force are

1. The direction of the magnetic field outside a bar magnet points away from the North pole of the
magnet and toward the South pole.
2. The closer together the field lines, the stronger the field
3. The magnetic field lines are imaginary lines
4. The magnetic field lines are continuous.
5. The tangent to the magnetic line of force at every point gives the direction of the field

Magnetic force on wire carrying current.

Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851) found the connection between electricity and magnetism. He
discovered that a compass needle placed near a current carrying wire will deflect as long as the
current is flowing through the wire. He concluded that the electric current produces the magnetic
force that causes the deflection of the needle. The compass needle can be used to determine the
direction of the magnetic field around a current carrying conductor.
The right-hand grip rule is another method to determine the direction of the magnetic field. The
rule state that if we grasp a wire with the right hand so that the thumb points in the direction of
the current, then the finger will encircle the wire in the direction of the magnetic field.
Right-hand-grip rule

The Fleming’s left hand (motor) rule is also used to predict the direction of the force on the current carrying
conductor. Fleming’s Left-Hand-Rule states that if we arrange our thumb, forefinger and middle
finger of the left-hand perpendicular to each other, then the thumb points towards the direction of
the force experienced by the conductor, the forefinger points towards the direction of the magnetic
field and the middle finger points towards the direction of the electric current.

The direction of the force is always perpendicular to the direction of the current and perpendicular to the
direction of the magnetic field.

The wire will experience no movement when the current is not flowing or when the wire is placed parallel
to the magnetic field.

The magnitude of the force is found to be directly proportional to the current I in the wire, the length L of
the wire exposed to the magnetic field B. hence we can write that the force on a wire carrying current in
a magnetic field is given as;

𝐹 ∝ 𝐵𝐼𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝐹 = 𝑘 𝐵𝐼𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝐹 = 𝑘 𝐵𝐼𝐿𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
Where K is a constant and has magnitude equal to unity
 B is the magnitude of magnetic field intensity measured in Newton per meter per Ampere or Tesla

I is the current in Ampere (A)

L is the length of the conducting wire (m)

𝜃 is the angle between the wire and the magnetic field

Note 1 T = 1 N/A.m, another unit of B is weber per meter squared (1T =Wb/m2).

If current in the wire is parallel to the magnetic field, the force on it is zero, but if the direction of flow of
current is perpendicular to the field, the force exerted of the wire is maximum.

𝐹𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐵𝐼𝐿
𝐹
𝐵=
𝐼𝐿
Note

1. A bar magnet divided in two pieces, the two magnets are created with N and S poles
2. A negatively charged particle is slowly moving as it enters a region that has a constant magnetic
field. If the velocity of the particle is initially perpendicular to the magnetic field, the subsequent
motion of the particle will follow a circular path in the plane perpendicular to the magnetic field
lines.
3. If velocity of particle is initially parallel, then the motion of the particle will follow a straight path.
4. A magnetic field can be produced by uniformly distribute charges over the surface of a conductor.

Lorentz force
The force exerted on a charged particle q moving with velocity v through
an electric field E and magnetic field B. The entire electromagnetic force F on the charged
particle is called the Lorentz force (after the Dutch physicist Hendrik A. Lorentz) and is given by

𝐹 = 𝑞𝑣 𝑥 𝐵
The magnitude of the force can be written as

𝐹 = 𝑞𝑣 𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛ɵ
ɵ is the angle between the velocity and the magnetic field. If the velocity of the charge is perpendicular to
the field i.e ɵ = 90o and sin 90o =1, the force exerted on the charge is maximum F= qvB. On the other hand,
the force experienced by the particle is zero if its velocity is parallel to magnetic field I,e ɵ =0 or
sin180o = 0.
Note ; magnetic force is always perpendicular to plane formed by V and B, For positive charge, force act
upwards but for negative charge, it is in opposite direction, force act downward. If the chage moves in a
circular path of radius r (centripetal force), the centripetal force needed for the circular path is provided
by the magnetic force. Thus

𝑚𝑣 2
𝑞𝑣𝐵 =
𝑟
𝑚𝑣
𝑟=
𝑞𝐵
The angular speed of the charge is

𝑣 𝑞𝐵
𝑤= =
𝑟 𝑚
The time T(period required for the charge q moving with constant speed V to make one circular
revolution in the magnetic field is given as
2𝜋 2𝜋𝑚
𝑇= =
𝑤 𝑞𝐵
The frequency of rotation
1 𝑞𝐵
𝐹= =
𝑇 2𝜋𝑚

The Biot-savart law

Electric and magnetic phenomenon are fundamentally and closely related. Electric current (moving
charges) can produce magnetic fields and these magnetic fields can exert force on the moving charges.

Jean-Baptiste Biot and Felix Savart (1791-1841) performed experiments on the force exerted by an electric
current on a nearby magnet. The result of their experiment is known as Biot-Savart law. The magnetic field
generated by an electric field would exist around a current- carrying conductor. The magnetc field dB due
to a segment dl of the conductor at a point P which is located at a distance a away is given as
𝜇𝑜 𝐼𝑑𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑑𝐵 =
4𝜋𝑟 2

𝜃 is the angle between the element and the line joining it to P

𝜇𝑜 is a constant called permeability of free space

𝜇𝑜= 4𝜋 𝑥 10−7 𝑇. 𝑚/𝐴

For several arrangements that are used in practical applications, the following are the results for magnetic
field

i. At a distance a from a long straight wire carrying current I, the magnitude of B is

𝜇𝑜 𝐼
𝐵=
2𝜋𝑎
ii. At the centre of a circular loop of radius R
𝜇𝑜 𝐼
𝐵=
2𝑅
iii. For N closely spaced loops of radius R
𝜇𝑜 𝐼𝑁
𝐵=
2𝑅
iv. Along the axis of a solenoid of length L containing N turns
𝜇𝑜 𝐼𝑁
𝐵=
𝐿

Questions

1. A wire carries a current of 15 A and 3 m in length is placed in a field of intensity 0.01 T. calculate
the force on the wire if it is placed
i. At right angle to the field
ii. At 45o to the field
iii. Along the field

2. A wire carries a 30 A current, if the wire is 5 cm long, what is the magnitude of the maximum force
on the wire, if it is placed in a magnetic field of intensity B = 0,8 T and the wire lies at right angle
to the field.
3. The orbit of an electron in a betatron is a circle of radius R. suppose the elctron is revolving
tangentially in this orbit with velocity v. what flux density is required to Maintain the electron in
this orbit, if the magnitude of its velocity is constant?
4. An electron with kinetic energy 1.50 keV circles in a place perpendicular to a uniform magnetic
field. The orbit radius is 30.0 cm. find the speed of the electron and the magnitude of the magnetic
field B.