LECTURE 16

MAGNETIC FORCE ON A CURRENT-CARRYING

CONDUCTOR

FORCE AND TORQUE ON A CURRENT LOOP

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 Objectives

Evaluate the magnetic Determine the motion

force on a wire and/or stability of a
segment placed in a magnetic dipole in a
uniform magnetic uniform magnetic
field field

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What is the force experienced by the wire?

Current

length
magnetic field

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Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire
• We can derive an expression for the total force on all moving charges in a
length of a conductor with cross-sectional area

• The number of charges per unit volume is .

• A segment of conductor with length and cross-sectional area A contains

charges. Current density J

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Magnetic Force on a Straight Wire Segment
⃗ ⃗ ⃗
𝑭 =𝑰 𝒍 × 𝑩
Current

vector
magnetic field
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Magnetic Force on a Straight Wire Segment
⃗ ⃗
𝑭 =𝑰 𝒍 × ⃗
𝑩
Current

vector
magnetic field
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Magnetic Force on a Straight Wire Segment
⃗ ⃗ ⃗
𝑭 =𝑰 𝒍 × 𝑩
 Magnitude of Magnetic Force

where angle between and

 Direction of Magnetic Force

Use RHR.
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Magnetic Force on a Straight Wire Segment
 Magnitude of Magnetic Force

 Direction of Magnetic Force

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A wire carrying current into the plane of the figure is between
the north and south pole of two bar magnets. What is the
direction of the force exerted by the magnets on the wire?

A.To the left

B.To the right
C.Upward
D.Downward
E.None of the above

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A wire carrying current into the plane of the figure is between
the north and south pole of two bar magnets. What is the
direction of the force exerted by the magnets on the wire?

A.To the left

B.To the right
C.Upward ⃗
𝑩
D.Downward
Magnetic field lines point from North
E.None of the above to South at the center

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Consider a wire bent as shown. The vertical
segments are long while the horizontal segment is
long. Current flows in the direction indicated by
the arrows. If the wire is immersed in a uniform
magnetic field pointing to the right, what is the
magnitude and direction of the net magnetic force
experienced by the whole wire?

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 Solution
Calculate per segment.
Top segment: out of the page
Horizontal segment: no force
Bottom segment: out of the page
Net direction: out of the page

Magnitude: 4.00 N

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What if the wire is not straight?

magnetic field

What is the magnetic force experienced by this segment?

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Magnetic force on an infinitesimal wire section

⃗ ⃗
𝒅 𝑭 =𝑰𝒅 𝒍 × ⃗
𝑩

magnetic field

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Magnetic force on an infinitesimal wire section

⃗ ⃗ ⃗
𝒅 𝑭 =𝑰𝒅 𝒍 × 𝑩
 Magnitude of Magnetic Force

where angle between and

 Direction of Magnetic Force

Use RHR.
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Magnetic force on an infinitesimal wire section

 Direction of Magnetic Force

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What is the magnetic force acting on a semi-circular wire?

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 Solution Divide the wire into many, many
segments. Each segment would
experience a very, very small force

The magnitude is

Decompose the equation into its x- and

y-components.
Note: Only a quarter-circle wire is shown but what we want is the
magnetic force acting on a semi-circular wire.

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 Solution

Express to using

Integrate to get the net force.

(for a semi-circular wire)

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Recall
Force on a current-carrying wire:⃗ ⃗
𝑭 =𝑰 𝒍 × ⃗
𝑩

What is the net force on a

current-carrying loop?

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 But

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 What is the magnitude of
the net torque on this
current-carrying loop?

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Note: edge view Recall from Physics 71:

But …

Torque is created by magnetic forces. Note: (area)

Direction: clockwise
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What is the net torque in this case?
We use the same concept as the previous slide.

But

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Remark: A current loop with area and current in a uniform
magnetic field experiences no net magnetic force.

a
I

R
b I

A = ab
A = πR2

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But it does experience a magnetic torque of magnitude

where : angle between and

The torque tends to rotate the loop in the
order of decreasing
and are parallel.

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Magnetic Dipole Moment,
Define magnetic dipole moment

Magnitude:

Direction: RHR

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Caution! Right-hand rule is for right-handed
coordinate system.
+y

^𝑖
+ ^𝑗

^
+𝑘
+x
^
𝑘 ^𝑗
+z
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Caution! Right-hand rule is for right-handed
coordinate system.

^𝑖
+z

+x ^
𝑘 ^𝑗
+y`
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Caution! Right-hand rule is for right-handed
coordinate system.
+z +z

+x +x

+ỳ -y
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Magnetic Dipole Moment,

a
I

R
b I

A = ab
A = πR2
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Magnetic Torque

where : angle between and

The torque tends to rotate the loop in the
order of decreasing
and are parallel.
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Magnetic Torque vs. Electric Torque
The magnetic torque is analogous to the electric torque (from Chap 21)

Magnetic torque: ⃗ ⃗ ⃗
𝝉 =𝝁 × 𝑩
Electric torque:

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Magnetic Torque vs. Electric Torque
Remark:
The tendency of the torque on an electric dipole is to
align the electric dipole moment to the electric field.
Similarly, the tendency of the torque on a magnetic dipole
is to align the magnetic dipole moment to the magnetic
field.

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Note
A current loop, or any other body that experiences
a magnetic torque is also called a magnetic dipole.

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Potential energy of the magnetic dipole, U

where : angle between and

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Potential energy of the magnetic dipole, U
Case 1: Maximum U
 and are anti-parallel
; unstable

Case 2: Minimum U
 and are parallel
; stable

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For N planar loops close together:

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Consider a circular loop of wire carrying a current I flowing in the
clockwise direction. This loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic
field directed to the left. What is the direction of the total magnetic
force experienced by the loop?
A.Into the page
B.Out of the page
C.In the +y-direction
D.In the +x-direction
E.Total magnetic force is zero.

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Consider a circular loop of wire carrying a current I flowing in the
clockwise direction. This loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic
field directed to the left. What is the direction of the total magnetic
force experienced by the loop?
A.Into the page
B.Out of the page
C.In the +y-direction
D.In the +x-direction
E.Total magnetic force is zero.
No magnetic force on a current loop!

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Consider a circular loop of wire which carries a current flowing in the
clockwise direction. This loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic field
directed to the left. If the circular loop is hinged and is free to rotate
about point P, what is the direction of the torque at point A?
A. +x-direction
B. +y-direction
C. Into the page
D. Out of the page
E. counterclockwise

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Consider a circular loop of wire which carries a current flowing in the
clockwise direction. This loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic field
directed to the left. If the circular loop is hinged and is free to rotate
about point P, what is the direction of the torque at point A?
A. +x-direction
B. +y-direction
C. Into the page
D. Out of the page
E. counterclockwise
along -z axis (RHR), along –x axis
So torque is along +y axis

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Example
Consider the two loops with area shown which carry equal currents in the
direction indicated. Each loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic field in
the direction. Find the torque and the potential energy of each loop.

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Example
Consider the two loops with area shown which carry equal currents in the
direction indicated. Each loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic field in
the direction. Find the torque and the potential energy of each loop.
Solution:
Use and
For Loop A: Case 1: Maximum U
 and are anti-parallel
 ; unstable

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Example
Consider the two loops with area shown which carry equal currents in the
direction indicated. Each loop is immersed in a uniform magnetic field in
the direction. Find the torque and the potential energy of each loop.
Solution:
Use and
For Loop B:

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