PHY150

CHAPTER 7 : MAGNET & MAGNETISM

7.0 MAGNETIC FIELD

A magnetic field is a space around a magnetic material

whereby a body will experience magnetic force.
Magnetic field is a vector quantity and is represented
by B with its unit: Tesla

The direction of the magnetic field at a given location

is the direction in which the north pole of a compass
points when placed at that location.

S N

Magnetic field lines exit from the north pole of a

magnet and enter at the south pole. The field lines
continue even within the body of a magnet. In fact,

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magnetic field lines always form closed loops. This

means that there is no monopole.

7.1 The modern theory of magnetism

Magnetism in matter is currently believed to result

from the movement of electrons in the atoms of
substances.

The magnetic polarity of atoms is thought to arise

primarily from the spin of electrons about their own
axis and partially due to their orbital motions around
the nucleus.

The atoms in a magnetic material are grouped into

microscopic magnetic regions called domains. In this
domain, all the atoms are believed to be magnetically
polarized along a crystal axis. In unmagnetized
material, these domains are oriented in random
direction.

a) unmagnetized material b) magnetized material

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7.2 Types of Magnetic Field

a) Permanent magnet
Magnets always have two poles. The magnetic
field line exits from the north pole and enter at
the south pole. Opposite poles attract each
other whereas like poles repel.

b) Earth’s magnetic field

The earth produces its own magnetic field. The
magnetic and the geographical poles do not
coincide. The north geographical pole of the
earth is actually the south pole of the earth’s
magnetic field. The angle difference between
these two is called the magnetic declination.
The angle between the earth’s magnetic field
and the horizontal is referred to as the angle of
dip.

c) Magnetic field produced by the motion of

charges.
Electric currents produce magnetic fields. The
direction of magnetic field due to the current-
carrying wire can be determined using the
right-hand rule 1 whereby the thumb pointing
up is the direction of conventional current (I)
while the rest of the finger wrapped around the
wire, points in the direction of magnetic field
(B).

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7.3 Magnetic force on a current carrying wire

When an electric current I passes through a conductor

lying in a magnetic field, B, each charge, q flowing
through the conductor experiences a magnetic force,
F.

The magnetic force depends on:

i) The direction of the moving charges.
ii) The charge of the particle
iii) The magnitude of the field
iv) The speed of the particle
v) The angle between the velocity vector and the
magnetic field.

F = qvB sin 

If the particle moves at right angle to the field,  = 90o

F = qvB

However, the average velocity v for each charge

L
passing through the length L in time t is t .

L
F = q t Bsin

q
Since I = t , rearranging,

F = BIL sin 

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Whereby  is the angle between wire and the magnetic

field.

Or F = BIL

if B is perpendicular to the wire carrying current.

Units : Tesla (T) or Wb/m2 , Gauss (G)

1 G = 10-4 T

Magnetic force right-hand rule

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The direction of force can also be determined by the

Fleming left-hand rule. The thumb points toward force, the
pointing finger towards the magnetic field (from north to
south) and the middle finger towards the current (positive
charge direction)

7.4 Magnetic field of a long straight wire

The Ampere’s law

 B11 l   o I enclosed

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The Ampere’s law states that,

(Bl)1 + (Bl)2 + (Bl)3 + (Bl)n = oI

B (l1 + l2 + l3 +….) = oI

The sum of the segment lengths is the circumference

of the circle, thus

B(2r) = oI

The magnetic induction or flux density, at a

perpendicular distance, r from a long straight wire
carrying a current I ,
o I
B= 2 r

Where o = 4 x 10-7 T.m/A is the permeability of free

space surrounding the wire.

7.5 The force between two parallel long current-carrying

wires.

 o I1 I 2 L
F= 2a

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Where I1 and I2 are current for wire 1 and 2

respectively, L is the length of wire and a is the
separation between both conductors.

1 ampere is the that current flowing in each of two

long parallel wires, 1 m apart, which results in a force
of exactly 2 x 10-7 N/m of length of each wire.

7.6 Torque on a current loop

When electric current flows in a closed loop of wire
placed in an external magnetic field, the magnetic
force on the current can produce a torque.

B a

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axis

F
Side view

┴ to coil surface

Torque,  = BINA sin 

Where N = number of loops

I = current

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A = area of the coil = a x b

 = angle between B and the perpendicular to the
face of the coil
NIA = magnetic dipole moment

7.6.1 Moving coil galvanometer

Scale

N S

spring
I
coil

Galvanometer

The coil has N turns and it can rotate about a vertical

axis in a uniform radial magnetic field. When a current
flow into the coil, it will move due to the force exist.
A spring provides a counter torque that balances the
magnetic torque, resulting in a steady deflection 
corresponding to a given steady current I in the coil.

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The radial magnetic field is to make sure that the loop

plane will always be parallel to the direction of
magnetic field or  = 90o, thus the deflecting torque
 = BINA.

The restoring torque is directly proportional to the

deflection angle.
 = k

The deflection of the G/meter stops when the

deflecting torque = the restoring torque.

BINA = k

BINA
= k

k = the torsion constant or the spring constant

 - unit radian

The galvanometer sensitivity,

 BNA

I k

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7.7 MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO A CIRCULAR

CURRENT LOOP

The magnitude of the magnetic field at the center of a

circular loop or coil is given by:

 o NI
B= 2r

Where N is the number of turns, I is the current and r is the

radius.

Direction of the magnetic field due a circular loop can be

determined by using right hand.

Curl the fingers of your right hand inward toward the palm,
following the current around the loop. Your thumb points
in the direction of the magnetic field in the interior of the
loop.

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Direction of B
inside the loop.

7.8 MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO A SOLENOID

A solenoid is a long coil of wire with many loops. Each

coil produces a magnetic field and the total field inside the
solenoid will be the sum of the fields due to each current
loop.

S I N

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If a long solenoid has N turns of wire and length L, then the

magnetic field strength in the center of the solenoid is given
by;

 o NI
B= L

Or

B = onI
N
Where n = l = number of turns per unit length.

B at the solenoid end, B = ½ onI

However, the longer the solenoid is with respect to its

radius, the more uniform the magnetic field is, inside the
solenoid and for an infinitely long solenoid, the value of B
is uniform throughout.

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the patient is

immersed in a strong magnetic field inside a solenoid.

The magnetic flux density at the solenoid end is;

1
B= 2 onI

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B can also be increased by placing a soft iron core at the

center of the solenoid, thus:

B = or nI

Where r = the relative permeability constant of the core.

r = ( 1 +  )

M
 is the susceptibility of the material and  = H

NI
Where H= l

7.9 TOROID

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Toroid is a circular solenoid.

From the Ampere’s law,

 B.dl  o I

B (2r) = oNI (total loop in toroid)

 o NI
B= 2r

There is no magnetic field outside the toroid. (I = 0)

EXTRA : How to determine the pole for a solenoid.

Hold the solenoid in your right hand so that your fingers

circle it in the same direction as the current. Your thumb
points to the north pole of the solenoid.

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