Phys 212 Rec 11

BIOT-SAVART LAW

PHYSICS OBJECTIVES AND READINGS

Names:
Physics objectives: The complete list of PHYS 212 course
objectives is on Canvas. This recitation focus on ____________________________

4. Magnetic Fields and Forces, including

b. calculating the magnetic field due to a point
charge or current using the Biot-Savart law. ____________________________
c. calculating the magnetic field due to a current
using Ampere’s Law.
____________________________
Readings: Knight Chap 29

Section #______________

Useful Equations & Concepts Date: _____________

A current carrying wire produces a magnetic field around it.

�⃗ from small pieces of current carrying wire of length 𝛥𝛥𝑠𝑠⃗ (where the direction
The contribution to the field 𝐵𝐵
is set by the direction of the current) is given by the Biot-Savart Law for currents:

𝜇𝜇0 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝑠𝑠⃗ × 𝑟𝑟̂

�⃗𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 =
𝐵𝐵
4𝜋𝜋 𝑟𝑟 2

Note: the vector 𝑟𝑟̂ points from the portion of wire 𝛥𝛥𝑠𝑠⃗ to the point P where you are calculating the field.

Because magnetic fields (like electric fields) obey the superposition principle, you can add the 𝐵𝐵 �⃗ from all
the small pieces of wire to get the total field. For really small pieces, you can express 𝛥𝛥𝑠𝑠⃗ as a differential 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗
over some coordinates and integrate the above expression to obtain the total field.

When the integral is calculated for a point a distance d away from an infinitely long wire carrying current
I, the magnetic field strength is found to be:

𝜇𝜇0 𝐼𝐼
𝐵𝐵𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 =
2𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
PHYS 212 RECITATION 2

EXERCISE 1: MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO LONG WIRES

This wire at the origin carries a current I which may be directed either into or out of the page. The
dashed circles have radii r 0 / 2, r 0 , and 2 r 0 , and the dots are placed every 30°. Let B 0 = µ 0 I / (2 π r 0 ).

1. What are the magnitude and direction (as an angle measured counterclockwise from the +x-
direction) of the magnetic field created at the following points? (Hint: think about symmetry)

Point I is out of page I is into page

b1
a12
c3
2. At which points would the magnetic field have the following magnitudes and directions? (Hint:
think about symmetry)

Magnitude Direction I is out of page I is into page

wrt +x
B0 0°
B0 / 2 30°
2 B0 210°
PHYS 212 RECITATION 3

EXERCISE 2: B FIELD DUE TO A CURRENT LOOP AT ITS CENTER (DERIVATION)

A circular loop of radius R carries a current 𝐼𝐼. Let us use the Biot-Savart Law to derive the B field at the
center of the loop.

For this problem, it’s best to work in terms of cylindrical

coordinate system (as you do the problem, ask yourself
why this is the case), with variables �𝑟𝑟𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 , 𝜃𝜃, 𝑧𝑧� and unit
vectors along each of these directions. We will place the
loop in the x-y plane, centered on the origin, with the
current going around the loop in the counter-clockwise
direction (as seen from above). ** Note that we call the
radial coordinate 𝒓𝒓𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑𝒑 , do not confuse this r with the
�⃗ from the piece of wire to point P.
position vector 𝒓𝒓

3. We need to break up the wire into small infinitesimal pieces 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗. Write down the magnitude and
direction of 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗ in terms of the cylindrical coordinates.

4. What is the vector 𝑟𝑟̂ pointing from this element 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗ to point P at the center? (in term of
cylindrical coordinates unit vectors).

5. What is the cross-product 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗ × 𝑟𝑟̂ ? We want both the magnitude and the direction.

�⃗ field due to this 𝑑𝑑𝑠𝑠⃗ (i.e., 𝑑𝑑𝐵𝐵

6. What is the differential bit of 𝐵𝐵 �⃗)?
PHYS 212 RECITATION 4

�⃗ over the entire loop and evaluate it.

7. Write the integral for 𝐵𝐵

EXERCISE 3: B FIELDS DUE TO MORE COMPLEX ARRANGEMENT

The figure below shows a wire loop that consists of two straight sections (1 and 3) and two semi-circular
sections (2 and 4). The latter have the same center of curvature. The loop carries a current 𝐼𝐼 as shown.
Use the Biot-Savart Law to figure out the magnetic field (both magnitude and direction) at the center of
curvature: point P. Do this separately for each of the four sections of the wire and then finally use
superposition to determine the total magnetic field. Explain briefly how the Biot-Savart Law is applied in
each case

Use cylindrical coordinates and the result of the previous sections to guide you.

8. Calculation for section (1):

PHYS 212 RECITATION 5

9. Calculation for section (3):

10. Calculation for section (2):

11. Calculation for section (4):

12. Calculation for total loop: