Magnetic Fields Due

to Currents
Objectives:
• To study the magnetic field of an element of a current-carrying
conductor

• To calculate the magnetic field of a long, straight, current-

carrying conductor
• To determine the magnetic field of a circular loop

• To determine the magnetic field of a solenoid

Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

Right-Hand Rule No. 2.

Curl the fingers of the right hand
into the shape of a half-circle. Point
the thumb in the direction of the
conventional current, and the tips of
the fingers will point in the direction
of the magnetic field.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

A LONG, STRAIGHT WIRE

o I
B
2 r

 o  4 10 7 T  m A

r = distance from the wire to where

Magnetic field is determined permeability of
free space
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

A LOOP OF WIRE

o I
B
2R

center of circular loop

R = radius of the loop

Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

The field lines around the bar magnet resemble those around the loop.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

A SOLENOID

number of turns per

Interior of a solenoid unit length
B   o nI
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

Example : A Current Exerts a Magnetic Force on a Moving Charge

The long straight wire carries a current

of 3.0 A. A particle has a charge of
+6.5x10-6 C and is moving parallel to
the wire at a distance of 0.050 m. The
speed of the particle is 280 m/s.

Determine the magnitude and direction

of the magnetic force on the particle.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

For this problem, we need to find magnitude and direction of the force on the particle. That
force is F = q v B sin θ
The charge of the particle q is given, its speed is also given.
But B is not given so we need to find it first. The source of the magnetic field in the problem
is a long straight wire so

 o I 
F  qvB sin   qv  sin 
 2 r 

o I
B
2 r
To determine the direction of B, use RHR 2- grasp the wire with your right hand,
with your thumb pointing to the direction of the current.
Since current (I) is upward, our fingers
are like directed counter clockwise, so at
the location of the charge q, it seems to be
into the page.
The angle between v and B is 90o since v is upward and B is directed into the page
(or into the screen of your computer).

Therefore,

Direction: towards the wire based on RHR

Example: Two Current-Carrying Wires Exert Magnetic
Forces on One Another

The figure shows two parallel, straight wires that are

very long. The wires are separated by a distance of
0.065 m and carry currents of I1 = 15 A and I2 = 7.0 A.
Find the magnitude and direction of the force that the
magnetic field of wire 1 applies to a 1.5-m section of
wire 2 when the currents have (a) opposite and (b) the
same directions.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

Current carrying wires can exert forces on each other.

 Let’s look at part A of the drawing. We see that the currents in the two wires are in
opposite directions. To find the magnitude of the force of wire 1 on wire 2, we apply
the equation

In this equation, I is the current of wire 2, length is length of 2 which is the same length as
wire 1. The magnetic field is provided by wire 1 since it carries current (or it is an
electromagnet), and θ is the angle between the direction of B1 and I2.
Solving for B1

direction of B1 as seen by wire 2 is upward from RHR 2

Therefore, the force of wire 1 on wire 2 is

The direction of this force is away from wire 1 based on the right-hand-rule 1, since
direction of B is upward while current is into the page.

By Newton’s 3rd law, the force that wire 1 exerts on wire 2 is also the force that wire 2
exerts on wire 1 but in opposite direction. So wire 2 also exerts a force on wire 1 but
direction is away from wire 2. Considering the 2 directions, we say that there is
Repulsion between wire 1 and wire 2 due to the currents being in opposite directions.

b) If the currents in the two wires are in the same directions, there would be a force
of attraction between the two wires.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

Example: Finding the Net Magnetic Field

A long straight wire carries a current of 8.0 A and a circular loop of

wire carries a current of 2.0 A and has a radius of 0.030 m. Find the
magnitude and direction of the magnetic field at the center of the loop.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents

The magnetic field at the center of the loop is the resultant of the magnetic field from
the long straight wire and the circular loop.

 o I1  o I 2  o  I 1 I 2 
B     
2 r 2 R 2 r R 

Based on RHR-2, the magnetic

field of the wire as seen from
the center of the loop is upward
while the direction of the magnetic
field of the loop is downward.
Therefore, we subtract the two
vectors.

B
4  10 7


T  m A  8.0 A

2 .0 A 
  1.1 10 5 T
2   0.030 m  0.030 m 
Example

A solenoid 20 cm long has 120 turns, and is designed to

produce a magnetic field of 0.080 T at its center. What is
the current in the solenoid?
For a solenoid, the magnetic field is determined by the equation
References:

Cutnell, Johnson, Young, & Staedler (2012).Cutnell & Johnson Physics, 10 th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Walker (2014). Halliday & Resnick Fundamentals of Physics 10 th ed. Wiley & Sons,Inc.
Young & Freedman (2016). University Physics 14 th ed. Pearson Education, Inc/
RECALL
The Force That a Magnetic Field Exerts
on a Charge
SI Unit of Magnetic Field (B): Tesla (T)
For direction use the right-hand-rule

Motion of q in uniform B field

mv
Radius of path of q R
qB

The Force on a Current in a Magnetic F  ILB sin 

Field
magnetic
 moment

Torque on a Current-Carrying Coil   NIA B sin 

SI Unit of Magnetic Torque (τ ): Nm