ALAMINOS CITY NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL – SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET IN GENERAL PHYSICS 2

Week 3, Quarter 4, May 31-June 4, 2021

I. Title: Magnetic Field Vector

II. Background Information for Learners:

A lodestone is a very rare form of the mineral magnetite that occurs naturally as a permanent magnet. It
attracts metallic iron as well as fragments of ordinary ‘inert’ magnetite.
According to a legend, mariners believed that Mountain of Lodestone do exist. If a ship gets close to it, the
mountain would attract the ship due to the iron nails and bolts used in its construction. The mountain could wreck the
ship or pull it inside. It seems to be similar to Bermuda Triangle in our times because ships that were lost in the sea
and disappeared believed to have been pulled to this mountain. This is just a legend but it actually introduces us to the
concept of magnetic field.
Magnetic Field
An electric field surrounds an electric charge, in the same way, a magnetic field surrounds a magnet. A
magnetic field is a region of space where a magnet is capable of exerting force on a magnetic material. Magnetic
field is defined in terms of the force exerted on an electric charge moving in the field. Mathematically it can be
expressed as,

Where: F = force, Newtons (N) q = charge, Coulombs (C)

v = velocity of the charge, meter/second (m/s)
= angle between v and B
B = magnetic field, newton/(coulomb meter/second) or newton/Amperemeter, Tesla (T)
A magnetic field also has a direction. The direction of the magnetic field at a given location can be defined as
the direction that the north pole of a compass needle would point if placed at that location.

Figure 1 Figure 2
Photo credits to Physics Principles With Applications

Magnetic field is composed of lines of force and these lines point from the North pole to the South pole. Figure 1
demonstrates how thin iron filings (acting like tiny magnets) show the magnetic field lines by lining up like the
compass needles. The magnetic field determined in this way for the field surrounding a bar magnet is shown in Fig.
2, the lines always point out from the north pole and in toward the south pole of a magnet (the north pole of a
magnetic compass needle is attracted to the south pole of the magnet). Magnetic field lines continue inside a
magnet, as indicated in Fig. 2, thus magnetic field lines always form closed “loops”.

Magnetic Fields Produce by an Electric Current

Hans Christian Oersted discovered that when a compass is placed near a wire, the compass needle deflects if
(and only if) the wire carries an electric current. He then concluded that an electric current produces a magnetic field.
 A compass needle placed near a straight section of current-carrying wire experiences a force, causing the
needle to align tangent to a circle around the wire, as shown in Figure 3. Thus, the magnetic field lines produced by a
current in a straight wire are in the form of circles with the wire at their center, Figures 4 and 5. But how do we
determine the direction they circulate?
The direction of the magnetic field produced by a current can be determine from the Right-Hand Rule.
Grasp the wire with your right hand so that your thumb points in the direction of the conventional (positive) current
I; then your fingers will encircle the wire in the direction of the magnetic field B.

Magnetic Force on a Current-carrying Wire and on a Moving Charge

As shown by Oersted, current-carrying wire exerts a force on a magnet like a compass needle. By Newton’s
Third Law, the reverse can be true that a magnet can exert a force on a current-carrying wire. This force F is
proportional to the length L of the wire, current I in the wire, magnetic field B and the angle between the current
and the magnetic field. Thus, the force on a wire carrying a current I with length l in a uniform magnetic field B may
be written in an equation as,
𝑭 = 𝑰𝒍𝑩𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽
Where: F = force, Newtons (N) I = current, Ampere (A)
v = velocity of the charge, meter/second (m/s)
= angle between v and B
B = magnetic field, newton/(coulomb meter/second) or newton/Ampere . meter, Tesla (T)
When the current is perpendicular to the field lines (𝜃 = 90° 𝑎𝑛𝑑 sin 90° = 1), the force is strongest. When the
current is parallel to the magnetic field lines (𝜃 = 0°), there is no force at all.
Since a current in a wire consists of moving electric charges, we expect that freely moving charged particles q
(not in a wire) with a velocity v would also experience a force F when passing through a magnetic field. Suppose that
a charge covers distance L in time t.
Recall that particle of charge q pass by a given point in time t, constitute to 𝐼 = 𝑞/𝑡; then replacing 𝐿 by 𝑣𝑡 and
I by q/t in the equation𝐹 = 𝐼𝐿𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃. The force on moving charge can be expressed as.
𝑭 = 𝒒𝒗𝑩𝒔𝒊𝒏𝜽

Where: F = force, Newtons (N) q = charge, Coulombs (C)

v = velocity of the charge, meter/second (m/s)
= angle between v and B
B = magnetic field, newton/(coulomb meter/second) or newton/Amperemeter, Tesla (T)
The angle between v and B determines the path of the charged particle. The force is greatest when the angle is
90° and the particle moves in a circle. The particle experienced no force at all and moves in a straight line when the
angle is 0 or 180°. If the angle is not 0, 90° or 180°, the particle moves in a helical path.
The magnetic force exerted on a current-carrying wire and on a moving charge is perpendicular to the
direction of the current I (or L) and magnetic field B, and to the velocity v and magnetic field B.
The direction of the force is given by another Right-hand rule, as illustrated on Figure 6. Orient your right
hand until your outstretched fingers can point in the direction of the conventional current I or velocity v, and when
you bend your fingers they point in the direction of the magnetic field lines, B. Then your outstretched thumb will
point in the direction of the force F on the wire.

Summary of Right- hand Rules (RHR)

Physical Situation Example How to Orient Right Result
Hand

1. Magnetic field Wrap fingers around Fingers curl in

produced by wire with thumb direction of B
current (RHR 1) pointing in
direction of current
I
 2. Magnetic force on a Fingers first point Thumb points in
current- straight along current direction of force
carrying wire I, then bend along F
(RHR 2) magnetic field
B

3. Magnetic force on a Fingers point along Thumb points in

moving charge particle’s velocity v, direction of the
(RHR 3) then along B force F

III. Learning Competency with code

1. Evaluate the magnetic field vector at a given point in space due to a moving point charge, an infinitesimal current
element, or a straight current-carrying conductor (STEM_GP12EMIIIh-60);
2. Calculate the magnetic field due to one or more straight wire conductors using the superposition principle
(STEM_GP12EMIIIi-62);
3. Calculate the force per unit length on a current carrying wire due to the magnetic field produced by other current-
carrying wires (STEM_GP12EMIIIi63);
4. Evaluate the magnetic field vector at any point along the axis of a circular current loop (STEM_GP12EMIIIi-64);
and
5. Solve problems involving magnetic fields, forces due to magnetic fields and the motion of charges and current-
carrying wires in contexts such as, but not limited to, determining the strength of Earth’s magnetic field, mass
spectrometers, and solenoids (STEM_GP12EMIIIi-66).
IV. Directions
Apply your knowledge about magnetic field vector, magnetic field produced by current-carrying wire and
applying right hand rule by answering the activities below in a separate answer sheet.

V. Exercises/Activities:

Activity 1: Let’s Check!

Directions: Read the following questions and write the letter of the correct answer in your answer sheet.
1. Which of the following CANNOT produce a magnetic field?
A. Earth B. magnet C. electric charge at rest D. electric charge at motion
2. Jerome sprinkles iron filings on a piece of cardboard placed on top of a bar magnet. Which configuration will the
iron filings take?
N S N S

A. C.
.
S N
D.
N S
B.

3. Which compass is the needle pointing in the direction of the magnetic field produced by the current flowing
through the straight wire?
 A. Compass 1 B. Compass 2 C. Compass 3 D. Compass 4
4. What path does a charged particle travel when it moves parallel to the direction of a magnetic field?
A. Circular B. Helical C. Hysteresis D. Straight
5. How much current is flowing in a wire 5.0 m long if the maximum force on it is 0.625 N when placed in a
uniform 0.0900-T field?
A. 1.37 A B. 1.38 A C. 1.39 A D. 1.40 A

Activity 2: True or False

Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct; otherwise, write FALSE.
1. The force is maximum if the current is parallel to the field lines.
2. A magnetic force is exerted only if the particle is moving.
3. A magnetic force always exerts a force on a charged particle.
4. The magnetic field of a current-carrying wire decreases inversely with the distance from the wire.
5. The force on the moving charge depends on the particle’s velocity.

Activity 3: Justify it!

Which of the illustrations below is an accurate representation of the magnetic field of a bar magnet? Explain your
answer.

A. B.

Activity 4: Concept Mapping

Directions: Complete the following concept map using the following Right-Hand Rule, F=qvB, and F=IlB.

Force resulting from

a magnetic field

exerted on a

has a has a has a

given by given by
given by

F=IlB Right -Hand Rule F=qvB

Activity 5: Problem Solving

Directions: Solve the following problems systematically. Use another sheet of paper for your solution.
A. Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire
1. A copper is placed in the center of an air gap between
two magnetic poles, as shown in the figure. The field is
confined to the gap and has a strength of 1.6 T.
a. Determine the force on the wire when the switch is open.
b. Determine the force on the wire when the switch is closed.

2. A 15 A current-carrying wire has a length of 27 cm in a magnetic field of 0.79 T. Find the force on the wire when it
makes the following angles with the magnetic field lines of:
a. 90; b. 45 c. 180; and d. 0.
3. A wire that is 40 cm long is parallel to a 0.67-T uniform magnetic field. There is 5.6 A current through the wire.
How
much force acts on the wire?
B. Magnetic force on a moving charg
1. A particle with the same charge as an electron experiences a force of 5.2 × 10−12𝑁 and traveling at a speed of 4.21
× 107𝑚/𝑠 at right angles to a magnetic field.
a. How strong is the magnetic field?
b. What does its acceleration if its mass is 1.88 × 10−28 𝑘𝑔?
2. A force of 5.78 × 10−16𝑁 acts on an unknown particle moving at an angle of 90 through a magnetic field. If the
velocity of the particle is 5.65 × 104 𝑚/𝑠 and 3.20 × 10−2 𝑇 , how many elementary charges does it carry?
3. A high-speed electron having a mass of 9 × 10−31𝑘𝑔 is moving at right angle to 0.75-T magnetic field and has a
speed of 2.5 × 107𝑚/𝑠. What is the size of the force acts on the high-speed electron? What is the magnitude of
acceleration of the particle?

VI. Rubric for scoring

For Activity 1- Activity 4, point for the correctness of the answer.
For Activity 5, refer to the rubric below.
SCORE DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSES
5 Complete and correct method of solution with correct answer
4 Complete and correct method solution but wrong answer
3 The work presented systematically but errors in computation
leading to incorrect answer
2 Suggest good mathematical thinking but incomplete solution
1 No solution/ wrong answer
0 No response

VII. References for Learners:

Giancoli, Douglas C. 2014, Physics Principle with Applications
Glencoe, McGraw Hill. Physics: Principles and Problems
Navaza, Delia C., Valdes, Bienvinido J. 2005. Physics. Quezon City. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
Santos, Gil Nonato C., Ocampo, Jorge P. 2003. e-Physic. Sampaloc, Manila. Rex Book Store, Inc.

Prepared by: Checked by: Approved by:

LEOMAR C. ABARRA ROSENDO C. BERNABE, JR. PhD CYNTHIA B.

TABLANG EdD
Teacher III Master Teacher II OIC-Asst. Principal II,
Academics