Magnetic Field and Work

Magnetic

force is always perpendicular to velocity

Therefore

B field does rno work! r

r
r
Why? Because K = F x = F ( v t ) = 0
Consequences
Kinetic

energy does not change

Speed does not change
Only direction changes
r
Particle moves in a circle (if v

r
B)

PHY2049: Chapter 28

Trajectory in a Constant Magnetic Field

A

charge q enters B field with velocity v perpendicular to

B. What path will q follow?
is always velocity and B
Path will be a circle. F is the centripetal force needed to keep the
charge in its circular orbit. Lets calculate radius R
Force

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
B
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x vx x
F
F
v

v
F

R
PHY2049: Chapter 28

Circular Motion of Positive Particle

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

B
F

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

mv
= qvB
R

mv
R=
qB
PHY2049: Chapter 28

Magnetic Force
Two

particles of the same charge enter a magnetic field

with the same speed. Which one has the bigger mass?
A
B
Both

masses are equal

Cannot tell without more info

x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x

mv
R=
qB

x x x x x x x x x x x x

Bigger mass means larger

inertia, less acceleration,
thus bigger radius
PHY2049: Chapter 28

Work and Energy

A

charged particle enters a uniform magnetic field. What

happens to the kinetic energy of the particle?
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

it
it
it
it
it

increases
decreases
stays the same
depends on the direction of the velocity
depends on the direction of the magnetic field

Magnetic field does no work, so K is constant

PHY2049: Chapter 28

Cosmic Ray Example

with energy 1 MeV move earth B field of 0.5
gauss or 5 10-5 T. Find radius & frequency of orbit.

Protons

K=

1 mv 2
2

2K
v=
m

( )(

K = 106 1.6 1019 =1.6 1013 J

m = 1.67 1027 kg

mv
2mK
R=
=
eB
eB

R = 2900 m

1
v
v
eB
f = =
=
=
T 2 R 2 ( mv / eB ) 2 m

f = 760 Hz

Frequency is independent of v!
PHY2049: Chapter 28

Helical Motion in B Field

Velocity

of particle has 2 components

r r r
v = v + v (parallel to B and perp. to B)
Only

v = v sin contributes to circular motion

v|| = v cos is unchanged
So

the particle moves in a helical path

v||

is the constant velocity along the B field

v is the velocity around the circle

v||
v

mv
R=
qB

PHY2049: Chapter 28

Helical Motion in Earths B Field

Particles moving along field lines cause Aurora Borealis and Australis:
http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/aurora/gallery_01oct03.html
PHY2049: Chapter 28

Mass Spectrometer
Originally

developed by physicists, now an important tool in chemistry,

biology, environmental studies, forensics, pharmaceutics, etc.

Sample

is vaporized, broken into fragments of molecules, which are

positively ionized. Positive ions are first accelerated by a potential
difference V, and then their trajectories are bent by B. Varying B
(sometimes V) allows ions of different masses to reach the detector.

PHY2049: Chapter 28

Mass Spectrometer (simplified)

Sample

is vaporized, broken into fragments of molecules,

which are positively ionized. Positive ions are first
accelerated by a potential difference V, and then their
trajectories are bent by B. Varying B (sometimes V) allows
ions of different masses to reach the detector.
Spectrometer

determines mass from B

(sometimes from V)

q ( Br ) 2
m=
2V

2r

PHY2049: Chapter 28

detector

10

Torque on Current Loop

a

Rectangular

current loop in uniform

magnetic field (lengths a & b)
Forces in left & right branches are 0
Force in top branch is into plane
Force in bottom branch is out of plane

Equal

forces give net torque!

Bottom side up, top side down (RHR)

Rotates around horizontal axis

= Fd = ( iBa ) b = iBab = iBA

= NiA magnetic dipole moment

a
Plane normal is B
( = 90)

Assuming N turns
= B, true for any shape!!

If

plane tilted angle to B field

= Bsin
is angle between normal and B

PHY2049: Chapter 28

11

Magnetic Dipole Moment

PHY2049: Chapter 28

12

Torque Example
A

3-turn circular loop of radius 3 cm carries 5A current in

a B field of 2.5 T. Loop is tilted 30 to B field.
30

2
2
= 3i r = 3 5 3.14 ( 0.03 ) = 0.0339 A m
2

= B sin 30 = 0.0339 2.5 0.5 = 0.042 N m

Rotation

is always in direction to align with B field

PHY2049: Chapter 28

13

Magnetic Force
A

rectangular current loop is in a uniform magnetic field.

What direction is the net force on the loop?
(a)

+x
(b) + y
(c) zero
(d) x
(e) y

Forces cancel on
opposite sides of loop

y
x
PHY2049: Chapter 28

14

Electromagnetic Flowmeter

Moving ions in the blood are deflected by magnetic force

Positive ions deflected down, negative ions deflected up
This separation of charge creates an electric field E pointing up
E field creates potential difference V = Ed between the electrodes
The velocity of blood flow is measured by v = E/B
PHY2049: Chapter 28

15

Hall Effect: Do + or Charges Carry Current?

+ charges moving counter-clockwise

experience upward force

charges moving clockwise experience

upward force

Upper plate at higher potential

Upper plate at lower potential

Very quickly, equilibrium between electrostatic & magnetic forces is

established and potential difference stops growing:
V
VH = vdrift Bw = "Hall Voltage"
Fdown = qEinduced = q H
Fup = qvdrift B
w
This type of experiment led to the discovery (E. Hall, 1879) that current in
conductors is carried by negative charges
Hall effect is used to measure moderate to moderately high B (10-4 T 3 T)
It is also used to measure the speed of computer hard drive
PHY2049: Chapter 28

16

FAQ on Magnetic Field and Work

Magnetic

force does no work. But an electric motor (=a current loop in

B) does work. Where does this work come from?
Magnetic force does no work on a moving charge
Magnetic torque on a current loop does work: W=

There

is no net force, only torque, on a current loop (=magnetic dipole

moment) in B. But two bar magnets (=collection of atomic magnetic
dipole moments) attract each other. How come?
There is no net force, only torque, on magnetic dipole moment in uniform B
When B is non-uniform, then there is net force. Can be shown that the
direction of this force is such that magnetic dipole moment is attracted to the
region of high B.

Magnetic

force does no work. But when two bar magnets are attracted
to each other, there must be work done by B. Something is not right
here.
Magnetic force does no work on a moving charge
When a magnetic dipole moment moves as a result of force due to nonuniform B, then this force does work. There is no contradiction.

PHY2049: Chapter 28

17