Magnetic Fields

Alan Murray
 The Story so Far
Maxwell’s 1st Equation …
 D.ds  charge enclosed   v dv
or … .D  v
Maxwell’s 2nd Equation …
 B.ds  0
or … .B  0
Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh
What creates a magnetic field?

S N

B = H

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 What else creates a
magnetic field B?

Stationary charge Moving charge Stationary charge

no B-field non-zero B-field no B-field

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

Current = Moving Charges

B
I

B
I

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 Direction of B, H fields?
Right hand : thumb = current,


fingers = B-field
B
I

B
I

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 Magnitude of B, H fields?
 Take an
(infinitesimally small) r3
piece of wire r2
 Pass a current I
through it I dl
I
 The magnitude of the r1
ring of field directly
around it is given by B1
dB = oIdl B2
4r2 B3
 So, for example,
B1>B2>B3

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 If only it were that simple …
 Unfortunately,
dB = oIdl r3 r6
4r2 r2
is a special case r5
 The element Idl dl
I
creates B-fields
r1
elsewhere (i.e. r4
everywhere) as shown B1 B4
… and, for example, B2 B5
B4<B1, B5<B2, B6<B3 B3 B6
as the Idl  B
distance increases

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 d = b c and the right hand rule
 d = b c = |b||c|sin() â

d, â d, â
c
b c

b

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 d = b c examples …
 d = b c = |b||c|sin() â

c c

b b
Direction of bc? Direction of bc?

c
c
b
b

Direction of bc? Magnitude and direction of bc?

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh
 The Biot-Savart Law
0I dl  a r
dB 
4 r 2
dB
âr x

I
dl


Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh
Worked Example of Biot-Savart
Law : Infinite Line of Current
0I dl  a r
dB 
4 r 2
dB →→B
âr x

I
dl

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 Worked Example of Biot-Savart
Law : Infinite Line of Current
l 
0I dl  a r  0I dl  a r
dB  2
, B 
4 r 
 4 r 2
l 
dB
âr .



r
I
dl


Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh
 Worked Example of Biot-Savart
Law : Infinite Line of Current
0I dl  a r
dB  d
4 r 2 dB
âr .

R  r sin   
r

I
dl
d
rd rd
sin    
rd

, dl 
sin   



dl
dl Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh
 Now for the maths …
âr


0I dl  a r dl
dB 
4 r 2

dl  a r  dl  1 sin    , out of the diagram

 rd 
0I   sin   
 Idl sin   
dB  dB  0    
sin 

0Id 0I sin    d

4 r 2
4 r 2
4 r 4 R

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 Now for the maths …
0I sin    d
dB 
4 R

 0I sin    d 0I  180

B   dB    sin    d
 4 R 4 R  0
0I  180 I I
B   cos      0  0  1  1  0
4 R 4 R 2 R

0I  180 0I 0I

B   cos      0   1  1 
4 R 4 R 2 R

0I 
Β a, where a points out of the page
2 R

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh

 Biot-Savart Law
 Like Coulomb’s Law – always works in
principle
• The example we have just looked at is “high-
symmetry”
• i.e. an infinite, infinitesimally-narrow “rod” of
current
 If there’s not much symmetry, the
integrals can be difficult/impossible
 Is there a magnetic-field equivalent of
Gauss’ Law?
 Yes – thanks to Professor Ampere
• Coming to a lecture theatre near you shortly.

Alan Murray – University of Edinburgh