A straight current-carrying segment experiences a magnetic force in a field.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §22.7 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
A straight current-carrying segment experiences a magnetic force in a field. Its magnitude depends on the current, active length, field strength, and angle between the current and field.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic force magnitude | ||
| Magnetic Field | ||
| Electric current | ||
| Straight wire length in the field | ||
| Angle between current direction and magnetic field |
Estimate magnetic force on a straight segment.
Compare force for different wire-field angles.
A 2.00 m wire segment carrying 3.00 A is perpendicular to a uniform 0.500 T field. Find the force magnitude.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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