Chapter 6

Magnetic Forces and

Materials

6.1 Forces due to Magnetic Fields

There are at least three ways in which force due to magnetic fields can be
experienced:
1. due to moving charge in a B field

2. on current element in an external B field

3. between two current elements.

6.1.1 Force on a Charges Particle

A stationary or moving electric charge Q in an electric field E experiences an
electric force Fe (Coulomb’s Law):

Fe = QE (6.1)

A magnetic field can only exert force on a moving charge. Experimentally it

is found that the magnetic force Fm experienced by a charge Q moving with
velocity u in a magnetic field B is:

Fm = Qu × B (6.2)

Note that Fm ⊥ u, so it implies that no work is done by Fm . Work is done only

due to Fe .

The total force in the presence of E and B is

F = Fe + Fm , or

1
 Class Notes on ECEG-2110
6.1. FORCES DUE TO MAGNETIC FIELDS Electromagnetic Fields

F = Q(E + u × B) Lorentz Force Equation (6.3)

If the mass of the charged particle is m, by Newton’s second law:
du
F=m = Q(E + u × B) (6.4)
dt

6.1.2 Force on a Current Element

Force on a current element Idl of a current carrying conductor due to an external
magnetic field B can be obtained as:
dQ dl
Idl = dl = dQ = dQ u
dt dt

⇒ Idl = dQ u (6.5)
From (6.2),
dF = Idl × B (6.6)
The total force on a closed path L or circuit is
I
F= Idl × B (6.7)
L

For current distributions Idl = KdS = Jdv, the infinitesimal forces are dF =
KdS × B, dF = Jdv × B so the total force will be:
Z Z
F= KdS × B, F= Jdv × B (6.8)
s v

6.1.3 Force between two Current Elements

Consider the force between two current elements I1 dl1 and I2 dl2

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 Class Notes on ECEG-2110
6.2. TORQUE.. Electromagnetic Fields

The force d(dF1 ) on I1 dl1 due to the field dB2 produced by I2 dl2 is (eq. 6.6)

d(dF1 ) = I1 dl1 × dB2 (6.9)

From Biot-Savart law,

µo I2 dl2 × aR21
dB2 = 2
4πR21
Hence,
I2 dl2 × aR21
d(dF1 ) = µo I1 dl1 × 2 (6.10)
4πR21
(the law of force between two current elements. Compare it with Coulomb’s law
between two charges) Therefore,

dl1 × (dl2 × aR21 )

I I
µo I1 I2
F1 = 2 (6.11)
4π L1 L2 R21

Example 6.1: A charged particle of mass 2 kg and charge 3 C start at point

(1, −2, 0) with velocity 4ax + 3az m/s in an electric field 12ax + 10ay V/m. At
t = 1 s determine
1. the acceleration of the particle
2. its velocity

3. its kinetic energy

4. its position.

6.2 Magnetic Torque, Moment and Magnetic Dipole

The moment of force or torque about a point is defined as

T=r×F N-m (6.12)

Example 6.2: A conductor located at x = 0.4 m, y = 0 and 0 < z < 2.0 m

carries a current of 5.0 A in the az direction. Along the length of the conductor
B = 2.5az T. Find the torque about the z axis.

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