SRI KRISHNA COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

(AN AUTONOM OUS INSTITUTION | AFFILIATED TO ANNA UNIVERSITY | ACCREDITED BY NAAC W ITH “A” GRADE)
ACCREDITED BY NBA(CSE, IT, ECE, EEE, M ECH, M CT & CIVIL)
KUNIAM UTHUR, COIMBATORE, TAM ILNADU, INDIA

SKCET STUDY MATERIAL

Subject Name : APPLIED SCIENCE – 22AS101

Module : lI – MAGNETISM, ELECTROMAGNETIC INDUCTION

AND ALTERNATING CURRENT

TOPIC : BIOT-SAVART LAW AND ITS APPLICATIONS

BRANCH : I B.E. MCT

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 BIOT-SAVART LAW
• Shortly after Oersted’s discovery in 1819 that a
compass needle is deflected by a current carrying
conductor, Biot (1774–1862) and Savart (1791–1841)
performed quantitative experiments on the force exerted
by an electric current on a nearby magnet.
• The experimental observations of Biot and Savart
about the magnetic field produced by a current carrying
conductor at some point in space are as follows:
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• The vector dB is perpendicular both to ds (which points
in the direction of the current) to the unit vector
directed from ds toward P.

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• The magnitude of dB is inversely proportional to
r2, where r is the distance from ds to P.
• The magnitude of dB is proportional to the
current and to the magnitude |ds | of the length
element ds.
• The magnitude of dB is proportional to sin 𝜭,
where 𝜭 is the angle between the vectors ds and

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• These observations are summarized in the
mathematical expression known today as the
Biot– Savart law:

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• where is the constant of proportionality and is
called the permeability of free space.
• In vector form:

(1)

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• Where ̂is the unit vector showing the direction of
field and is determined by right band rule.
• If is a unit vector along current element and is the
unit vector along position vector r of point P,
then

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• The equation (1) will become:

• As is a unit vector along current element,

therefore,

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• The magnetic induction B at point P due to
whole wire is obtained by integrating eq. (2):

• This is known as Biot–Savart law.

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 APPLICATION OF BIOT–SAVART
LAW
Magnetic Field due to Current in a Straight
Conductor
• Consider a long straight conductor carries current
I as shown in the figure below:
• We want to find out magnetic field strength at
point P due to this current carrying conductor.
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• The perpendicular distance of point P from the
wire is ‘a’. For this we consider small length
element ds, which is at the distance ‘x’ from
point O (taken as the origin). The magnetic field
strength due to length element ds by Biot–Savart
law will be

(1)

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• Thus equation (1) will become

• From figure:

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 Negative sign is necessary because ds
is located at a negative value of x

• The equation (2) will become:

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 (3)

• To find out the field due to the whole wire can

be obtained by integrating equation (3):

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• This is the expression of magnetic field induction due
to a current carrying conductor. In vector form:

• Where is the unit vector which represents the

direction of tangent to the circle at point P.
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