Magnetism - Two

CURRENTS/WIRES
 A Philosophy Question - Warmer
How many stones must I have before it becomes a heap of stones?
 Charged Particle vs A Current
How many charged particles must I have before it becomes a current?
 Charged Particle vs A Current – Group Task
Why is the ‘conventional current flow’ opposite to ‘electron flow’?
 Charged Particle vs A Current – Group Task
• A current is a flow of charged particles
 A Matter of Potential and Convention
• Conventional current vs Electronic current

J.J Thompson
 A Matter of Potential and Convention - Task
• Does it Matter? Why/Why not?
 A Matter of Potential and Convention - Task
• For engineering - Nope
 A First Principles Question
• What are the two principle sources of energy in Physics?
 Kinetic and Potential
• The ultimate first principles of
classical Physics!
 A Current Inside a Magnetic Field
• Experiences a magnetic force inside an
external magnetic field
• Derive the equation
 A Current inside an External Field
• F = BIL (if ‘perpendicular’)
• F = BIL.Sinθ
 Example Question – Group Task
Question 22-4 (p776): A copper rod
0.150m long, with a mass of 0.0500kg is
suspended from two thin, flexible wires
(as shown in the sketch). At a right-
angle to the rod is a uniform magnetic
field of 0.550T. Find a) The direction
and b) The magnitude of the electric
current needed to levitate the copper
rod state your assumptions
 Example Question – Group Task
a) Current points to the right. Magnetic field points into the
page. Using Fleming’s LHR, force points upwards (same
direction as your thumb)

b) For equal vertical forces, F = mg. For when ‘I’ is

perpendicular to ‘B’, F = BIL
𝒎𝒈
• BIL = mg, re-arranges to
𝑳𝑩

(𝟎.𝟎𝟓𝟎𝟎𝒌𝒈 × 𝟗.𝟖𝟏𝒎𝒔 𝟐 )
• = 5.95A , ( A current higher
(𝟎.𝟏𝟓𝟎𝒎 ×𝟎.𝟓𝟓𝟎𝑻)
than this)
 Assumptions – Group Task
What assumptions have you used in your calculation?
 Example Question – Assumptions
• Magnetic field is uniform/constant
• The thin, flexible wires are modelled as having a negligible weight (=0)
• Wire is made of conductive material
• Affects of wind loading are ignored
• The wire is on Earth’s surface, hence g = 9.81m/s2

Bonus Question: If the rod is doubled in length,

does the current needed for levitation increase?
 Example Question – Assumptions
Bonus Question: If the rod is doubled in length, does the current needed for
levitation increase? No

I = mg/LB

Doubling length, doubles its mass

No change
More Questions
30) L = 2.15m, I = 0.899A, perpendicular, B = 0.720T, F = ?

F = BIL F = 0.720T x 0.899A x 2.15m, F= 1.39N

31) A = 2.8A, θ = B = 0.88T, L = 2.25m, F = ?

F = BILsinθ = 0.88T x 2.8A 2.25m x sin(36.0) F = 3.26N

32) L = 1.2m, F = 1.6N, I = 3.0A, B = 0.50T, θ = ?

F = BILsinθ re-arranged: θ = arcsin ( = arcsin (

θ = 62.7N
33) L = 0.45m, m = 0.17kg, I = 11A, B = ?, Direction of B = ?

Current acts in the positive x-direction, force to levitate must be opposite to the wire’s
weight, therefore the force must act upwards. To get this, B must be going into the page
(negative z-direction)

Vertical forces on the wire are equal when mg = BIL (Weight of wire = magnetic force)

𝟎.𝟏𝟕𝒌𝒈 ×𝟗.𝟖𝟏𝒎𝒔 𝟐
Re-arranging gives: = B = 0.34T
𝟏𝟏𝑨 ×𝟎.𝟒𝟓𝒎
34) I = 6.2A, θ =

a) For L = 1m, F = 0.033N, F = BILsinθ

re-arranging gives

.
B = 0.041T
. × × ( . )

b) When F = 0.015N

.
B = 0.019T
. × × ( . )

Angle = 3.48 degrees

 Know Your Fundamentals
• RTQ
• We’ve just looked at ‘a current inside an external magnetic field’
 An important point! – Group Task
• Can I pull myself across the room by pulling on my own shirt?
• Why/Not?
 Newton’s Laws! – Exam Tip
• The resultant force has to come from a different body
• And act on you
• Remember this!
 Congratulations
• You’re analyzing problems first
• NOT just rushing in from memory
 Currents Produce!
• BUT
• A current produces a magnetic field too
 Currents Produce! – Group Task
• BUT
• A current produces a magnetic field

• Questions:
• What’s the magnetic force on the wire here?
• Describe the shape of the field
• Where is it strongest/weakest?
• Can you derive a rule for remembering direction?
 Fleming’s Production Right-hand Rule - Task
• Remember: No external field here
• What’s the difference between the 1st and 2nd Rules?
 Let’s apply Fleming’s Production RHR – Task
Draw the magnetic field produced by the current

I
 Questions – Group Task
• How is ‘B’ related to I and ‘r’
• Derive an equation

• ‘B’ – strength of magnetic field from wire

at a point
 Questions – Group Task
• B I
• B 1/2πr

• What is the constant ‘k’?

 Questions – Group Task
• Hint: How would ‘B’ change if it was passed
through:
• Air
• Iron
• Vacuum
• Water
• Rubber

• Can you guess a common assumption?

 Finding the Constant
•

• ‘K’ is the permeability of free space

• Actually - μ

• μ = 4π x 10-7 Tm/A
 Strength of Magnetic Field from a Current
μ𝒐
•

•
• μ = 4π x 10-7 Tm/A
• I = current
• r = radial distance from wire
 More values of ‘µ’
μ𝒐
•

• Permeability - Ability of a material to support

a magnetic field within itself. (H/m)

• μ = 1.257 x 10-6 Tm/A

• μ = 1.257 x 10-6 Tm/A
• μ = 1.26×10­4 – 7.54×10­4 Tm/A
• μ = 6.3×10­3 - 2.5×10­1 Tm/A
 Concept-Check Questions – Group Task
μ𝒐
•

• μ (free space) = 1.2566 x 10-6 Tm/A

• μ = 1.26×10­4 – 7.54×10­4 Tm/A
= 6.3×10 - 2.5×10 Tm/A
• μ ­3 ­1

• What material is better to use for facilitating

magnetism? Why?
 Permeability vs Conductivity - Task
• What’s the difference?
• Are conductive materials also ‘permeable’?
 Permeability vs Conductivity - Task
• Nah
 Permeability vs Conductivity
• μ = 6.3 × 10­3 - 2.5 × 10­1 Tm/A
• μ =1.257 × 10­6 Tm/A

• σ = 5.96 × 107 S/m

• σ = 1.00 × 107 S/m

• Any conclusions?
 Types of Magnetism - Remember
• Ferromagnetism

• Parramagnetism

• Diamagnetism (Superconductors included)

 Types of Magnetism - Remember
Χ – Magnetic
Class Susceptibility
Examples
Ferromagnetic 3000
Paramagnetic 2.2 ×10-5
Diamagnetic -9.0 ×10-6
• Ratio of magnetization M (magnetic moment per unit volume) to the applied magnetizing field intensity H.
 Field Strength from a Current – Exam Question
μ𝒐
•

• Explain how the magnetic field strength from a

current-carrying wire can be maximized. Assume
you can change anything (7 marks)
 Example Answer
𝝁𝑰
(1) Current through the wire increased (1) increase
𝟐𝝅𝒓
potential difference of power source (1) Magnetic field strength is
higher nearer to the wire (1) Conductivity of wire
increased/resistivity decreased (1) Use copper (or material with high
conductivity (1) Pass wire through a material with a greater
permeability than free space (1) Example: iron (1) Cool the
ferromagnetic material the wire is passed through (1)
Calculation Time
 Know your Calculation - Hint
Are you looking at:

• A current placed in a magnetic field, or

• A current producing a magnetic field

1) r = 6.25x10-2m, I = 7.81A, = 4π x 10-7Tm/A

( × / )×( . )
B= B = 2.50 x 10-5T
π ( . )

2) I = 7.2A, r = ?, B = 5.0x10-5T

( × / )×( . )
r= r=
π π ( . / )

r = 0.0288m
 Wires Placed Together – Group Task
Predict what will happen when two wires are placed next to each other. Try to
sketch the results
 Field – Same Direction

I1

I2
 Forces – Same Direction

I1

F1 Magnetic field produced by I2

d
F2 Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
 Field – Different Direction

I1

I2
 Forces – Different Direction

I1
F1
Magnetic field produced by I2

d
Magnetic field produced by I1

F2 I2
 Know your Forces - Hint
Are the forces

• Acting on?

• Or coming from?

• Bodies exert forces on other bodies

 In Our Examples – Newton’s Third
•Wire ‘A’ produces a magnetic field

•Then Wire ‘B’ experiences a force from

Wire ‘A’
 Congratulations
• You’re using metacognitive skills
• NOT writing down things I tell you, and spitting them out later!
 Deriving Formula
• Can you derive the formula for the (magnitude of) force acting on each wire? Use
first principles
L
I1

F1 Magnetic field produced by I2

d
F2 Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
 Deriving Formula - Hint
• Hint: You need to distinguish where things are coming from
L
I1

F1 Magnetic field produced by I2

d
F2 Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
𝐵= - Magnetic field strength for a field produced by a wire
π
Magnetic field strength produced from wire 1: 𝐵 =
π

Magnetic field strength produced from wire 2: 𝐵 =

π

The force acting on wire 1 comes from it being inside the field produced by wire 2 ‘𝐵 ′
The force acting on wire 2 comes from it being inside the field produced by wire 1 ‘𝐵 ′, therefore:

𝐹 = 𝐵 𝐼 𝐿 – Force acting on wire 1 (𝐵 acts on wire 1 and exerts a force on it)

𝐹 = 𝐵 𝐼 𝐿 – Force acting on wire 2 (𝐵 acts on wire 2 and exerts a force on it)

We can substitute 𝐵 or 𝐵 into the force equations above, to give us:

𝐹 = .𝐼 .𝐿 = .𝐿
π π
𝐹 = .𝐼 .𝐿 = .𝐿 Therefore 𝐹 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒
π π

- Equation Force acting on each wire

π
 Force on each wire
π
L
I1

F1 Magnetic field produced by I2

d
F2 Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
 Different Currents Matter? – Question
𝒐 𝟏 𝟐
What happens when the current’s aren’t the same magnitude?
π
L
I1

F1 Magnetic field produced by I2

d
F2 Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
 Different Currents ‘Balance’
L
I1

Magnetic field produced by I2

d
Magnetic field produced by I1

I2
 Metaphysics – We’re only human
• Never forget
• Predictive science helps the world,
but it isn’t reality
 Congratulations
• You’re thinking deeper
• You’ll become engineers, not eggheads!
Some Calculations
1) L = 270m, d = 25x , = 4 π x 10-7 Tm/A

•
π

(4 π x 10−7 )
•
π

• Forces attract each other because the currents run in the same direction
2a) d = 9.25 L = 1m (force per metre)

Wire 1: =2.75 A, Wire 2: = 4.33A,

•
π
( × )×( . )×( . ) 𝟓
F=
π×( . × )

2b) It is the same, we derived this earlier by looking at equations for magnetic field produced
by a wire, and force acting on a wire from a magnetic field (it’s a Newton’s third law pair)
 𝝁𝒐 𝑰 × ×
Field at P due to 𝟏: = = 𝟓
𝟐π𝒓 ×( × )

 
Field at P due to 𝟐 𝟐
𝟐: r=
𝝁𝒐 𝑰 × ×
= = 𝟓
𝟐π𝒓 ×( . × )

Fields act in different directions:

𝟓 𝟓
Net magnetic field = = 7.0 x 10-7 T
 A Coil of Wire – A Guided Discovery
We’re going to look at the Physics of this case….

It’s a bit ugly….

Remember: are we looking at production of a field

or effect of a field?
 A Coil of Wire – Group Task
1. Describe how the magnetic field is oriented

2. What is the force on the horizontal part of the

wire?

3. What is the force on the vertical part of the wire?

4. Why?
 A Coil of Wire – Answers
1. Parallel to the plane of the loop

2. Zero. Current runs parallel to field

3. BIL. Current runs perpendicular to field

Think in 3D – Pictures coming….

 A Coil of Wire – Group Task
1. Describe the motion of the current in the loop

2. What is the direction of the force on the left

vertical part?

3. What is the direction of the force on the right

vertical part?
 A Coil of Wire – Answers
1. Clockwise

2. Into the page

3. Out of the page

 A Coil of Wire – Group Task
• Predict the motion of the coil due to these
forces
 A Coil of Wire - Spin
• Coil spins clockwise around a fixed vertical axis
• Due to torque
A Coil of Wire – Diagram One
 Torque – Group Task
• Define Torque
• How is it different from ‘Moment’?
 Torque vs Moment
• Torque = Force x Distance between the two forces
• Moment = Force x Perpendicular distance to pivot (y-axis ‘O’)
A Coil of Wire – Diagram Two
 A Coil of Wire – Group Task
1. Why is there no linear movement?
2. Explain how the forces change as the wire spins
3. Draw a bird’s eye view of the coil
 A Coil of Wire – Part of the Answers
1. No resultant force on wire (think 3D)
2. Forces are constant (vertical parts always perpendicular in field and BIL doesn’t
change)
3. Next page…..
 Initial position

Bird’s eye view

‘Face-on’ view
Position at angle (while spinning)

• As it spins, the x-axis distance

from the vertical (O) to the
vertical parts of wire gets
smaller…
Initial position

Bird’s eye view

‘Face-on’ view

Position at angle

The flat of the wire will look

thinner and thinner as it
keeps spinning
 3D Image - Again
We’re just looking at this from different views
 Group Task
Forces are constant
Bird’s eye view
So what is changing? Why?
‘Face-on’ view
The torque Bird’s eye view

Because the ‘x-axis’ ‘Face-on’ view

distance gets flatter and
flatter as it spins
Plane View – As the coil spins
Time = 0 Time = 0.2s Time = 0.4s
Birdseye View – As the coil spins
Time = 0 Time = 0.2s Time = 0.4s
 Torque – Group Task
What happens to the torque as the wire turns?
 Torque – Over Time
• It get’s smaller and smaller
• It’s eventually zero, when?
 Torque – Another view
• When the plane of coil is perpendicular to the magnetic field. Look!
 Torque – Group Task
Write an equation for torque on the coil in this position
Hint: You know the equation for force
Torque - Initial Position
Force on each vertical part: F = BIL

Torque on coil:

Area of coil = Lw

Torque on coil:
 Torque – Group Task
Write an equation for torque on the coil in the angle position
Torque – Angle position
Force on each vertical part: F = BIL

Torque on coil:

Area of coil = Lw

Torque on coil (at angle):

 Torque – Group Task
Write an equation for torque on the coil after it’s turned 90 degrees
Torque - Plane is perpendicular to field
Torque =0

No perpendicular distance between

forces
Torque – Over time
τ = BIA τ = BIASinθ τ=0
 The Cos vs Sin Dilemma - Hint
• Aim to find the perpendicular distance
• Don’t robotically remember ‘cos vs sin’
 Beyond 90 Degrees – Group Task
• What happens as the coil passes 90 degrees?
 Beyond 90 Degrees
• The moments try to spin it back the other way!
• How can we fix this problem?
Beyond 90 Degrees
 Beyond 90 Degrees
• Flip the current every half-turn!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMH7pdn-qr4
 Torque on a Coil – Group Task
• What is this thing?
• What would make it work even ‘better’?
 DC Motor – Fixed Field/Direct Current
• Increase current, area of coil or magnetic field strength
• And number of turns! τ= N.BIA.Sinθ
 Congratulations
• You used first principles to derive the Physics of a DC motor
 DC Motor – Fixed Field/Direct Current
• Input: direct current, Output: mechanical work
• 1a) Anti-clockwise

• 1b) Clockwise

• 1c) Not at all (magnetic forces

provide horizontal equilibrium,
and no resultant turning moment)
2) τ= N.BIA
• N = 260, B = 0.48T, h = 16cm, w = 33cm, τ = 23Nm, I = ?

3) τ= BIA

•
Answer on next slide
4) Same current and magnetic field strength for both wires, therefore ‘B’ and ‘I’ can be ignored
in τ= BIA. Let’s look at area only, in terms of ‘L’:

Straight wires are the same length ‘L’.

𝑳
Circumference of circle = 2.π.r = L
𝟐𝝅
𝑳
Perimeter of square = L Length of one side =
𝟒

𝟐 𝑳 𝟐 𝑳𝟐 𝝅𝑳𝟐 𝑳𝟐
Area of circle = 𝟐𝝅
= 𝟐𝝅 𝟐 𝟒.𝝅𝟐
= 𝟒𝝅
𝑳𝟐
Area of square = 𝟏𝟔

Area of square loop < Area of circular loop

Maximum torque of square loop < Maximum torque of circular loop

𝝉𝒔𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑳𝟐 𝑳𝟐 𝝅
Ratio =
𝝉𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒆 𝟏𝟔 𝟒𝝅 𝟒
 DC Motor – Circles are better
• Using a circular wire is better
• More torque per unit length of wire – as proven!
 Congratulations
• You proved this result!
 DC Motor – A Real-life Example
• A simple DC motor (with no commutator)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6htLFp_8TE

https://xmdemo.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/024/
 DC Motor – Magnetic field acting on current
• We’ve been looking at magnetic forces acting on a coil of wire
• But we know currents also produce magnetic fields…..
 Coils Producing Magnetic Fields - Task
• Is the coil inside a magnetic field?
• How do you find the magnetic field direction?
• What is the coil doing?
• Where is the field strongest?

• Be careful: the perspective of the diagram isn’t

perfect
 Coils Producing Magnetic Fields – Task Two
• Look at the magnetic field
• What’s interesting about the result?
 Coils Producing Magnetic Fields – Task Three
• It acts like a bar magnet!
• What happens if we have two of these things?
 More Analogous Behavior!
• Currents can be utilized to act like bar magnets
 Coils Producing Magnetic Fields – Group Task
• How could you make the field stronger?
• Can you derive an equation?
 Solenoids/Electromagnets - Equation

N = number of turns
L = length of solenoid
n = turns per metre
= Tm/A
 Poles of a Solenoid – A Great Rule!
• If you look at a side ‘face-on’, you can find which pole it is
• If the current is going anticlockwise, it is the North pole
• If the current is going clockwise, it is the South pole
Calculation Time
 Calculation Time
𝑵
𝒐 𝑳 𝒐

B = 5x10-5T, L = 38x10-2m, N = 430, = 𝟕 Tm/A

n= = 𝟐) turns per metre

( ×

𝑩 ×
= = 0.035A
𝝁𝒐 𝒏 ( × )×
 ,

B = 1.3T, L = 62x10-2m, I = 8.4A, = Tm/A

𝟐
N= 𝟕
 , ,

I = 3.75x103A, n = 3650 turns per metre, = Tm/A

 Congratulations
• You discovered what a solenoid is!