5.

(a) Find the magnetic field at the center of a square loop, which carries a
steady current I. Let R be the distance from center to side (shown below).
(b) Find the field at the center of a regular n-sided polygon, carrying a steady
current I. Again, let R be the distance from the center to any side.
(c) Check that your formula reduces to the field at the center of a circular loop,
in the limit n ! 1.

6. Find the magnetic field at point P for each of the steady current configura-
tions shown in the figure.

7. A steady current I flows down a long cylindrical wire of radius a (shown

below). Find the magnetic field, both inside and outside the wire, if
(a) The current is uniformly distributed over the outside surface of the wire.
(b) The current is distributed in such a way that J is proportional to s, the
distance from the axis.

2
8. A thick slab extending from z = a to z = +a carries a uniform volume
current J = J x̂ (shown below). Find the magnetic field, as a function of z, both
inside and outside the slab.

9. Find the magnetic vector potential of a finite segment of straight wire, car-
rying a current I. Put the wire on the z axis, from z1 to z2 and use
Z Z
µ0 I 0 µ0 I 1 0
A= dl = dl (2)
4⇡ r 4⇡ r
Check that your answer is consistent with
µ0 I
B= (sin✓2 sin✓1 ) (3)
4⇡s

10. If B is uniform, show that A(r) = 12 (r ⇥ B) works. That is, check that
r · A = 0 and r ⇥ A = B. Is this result unique, or are there other functions
with the same divergence and curl?

2 Magnetic fields in matter

1. Calculate the torque exerted on the square loop shown in the figure, due to
the circular loop (assume r is much larger than a or b). If the square loop is
free to rotate, what will its equilibrium orientation be?

3
2. Starting from the Lorentz force law, in the form
Z
Fmag = I(dl ⇥ B) (4)

show that the torque on any steady current distribution (not just a square loop)
in a uniform field B is m ⇥ B

3. Find the force of attraction between two magnetic dipoles, m1 and m2 ,

oriented as shown in the figure, a distance r apart,
(a) using
F = 2⇡IRBcos✓ (5)

(b) using
F = r(m · B) (6)

4. A uniform current density J = J0 ẑ fills a slab straddling the yz plane, from

x = a to x = +a. A magnetic dipole m = m0 x̂ is situated at the origin.
(a) Find the force on the dipole, using equation (6)
(b) Do the same for a dipole pointing in the y direction: m = m0 ŷ.
(c) In the electrostatic case the expressions F = r(p · E) and F = (p · r)E are
equivalent (prove it), but this is not the case for the magnetic analogs (explain
why). As an example, calculate (m · r)B for the configurations in (a) and (b).

5. An infinitely long circular cylinder carries a uniform magnetization M paral-

lel to its axis. Find the magnetic field (due to M) inside and outside the cylinder.

6. A short circular cylinder of radius a and length L carries a ”frozen-in” uniform

magnetization M parallel to its axis. Find the bound current, and sketch the
magnetic field of the cylinder. (Make three sketches: one for L a, one for
L ⌧ a, and one for L ⇡ a.) Compare this bar magnet with the bar electret
(A similar cylinder, carrying a ”frozen-in” uniform polarization P, parallel to
its axis)

4
7. Suppose the field inside a large piece of magnetic material is B0 , so that
H0 = (1/µ0 )B0 M.
(a) Now a small spherical cavity is hollowed out of the material (shown below).
Find the field at the center of the cavity, in terms of B0 and M. Also find H at
the center of the cavity, in terms of H0 and M.
(b) Do the same for a long needle-shaped cavity running parallel to M.
(c) Do the same for a thin wafer-shaped cavity perpendicular to M.

8. A coaxial cable consists of two very long cylindrical tubes, separated by lin-
ear insulating material of magnetic susceptibility m . A current I flows down
the inner conductor and returns along the outer one; in each case the current
distributes itself uniformly over the surface (shown below). Find the magnetic
field in the region between the tubes. As a check, calculate the magnetization
and the bound currents, and confirm that (together, of course, with the free
currents) they generate the correct field.