Chapter 4: Moving Charges and Magnetism
1. Magnetic Lorentz Force
• FB = q(v × B): Force on a charge moving in a magnetic field.
• Force on q due to an electric field: FE = qE.
• Total Lorentz force: F = FE + FB .
• FB = 0 if v = 0, q = 0, or if v ∥ B.
• Fleming’s left-hand rule helps in finding the direction of FB .
2. Motion in Magnetic Field
• Circular Motion
– θ = 90◦ or 270◦ .
– The path of the particle is a circle.
– Radius: r = mv
qB .
– Time period: T = 2πm
qB .
– The time period is independent of velocity.
• Helical Motion
– θ ̸= 0◦ , 90◦ , 180◦ , 270◦ .
– Radius of the helix: r = mvqB sin θ
.
– Pitch = Distance moved in time T = v∥ T .
3. Magnetic Forces
• Force between Two Parallel Conductors
– Force per unit length: F = µ02πd
I1 I2 l
.
– If currents are in the same direction, force is attractive; if opposite,
repulsive.
• Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor
– F = I(l × B).
– The force for a closed loop is zero.
4. Torque on a Current-Carrying Coil in a Uniform Mag-
netic Field
• Torque: τ = nIBA cos θ, where n is the number of turns.
• Maximum torque occurs when θ = 90◦ , and minimum torque occurs when
θ = 0◦ or 180◦ .
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5. Methods to Find a Magnetic Field
• Right Hand Screw Rule: Rotate in the direction of the current, and
the movement of the screw gives the magnetic field direction.
• Right Hand Thumb Rule: Curl the palm by keeping the thumb in the
direction of the current. The thumb points along the current direction,
and other fingers give the direction of the magnetic field.
6. Moving Coil Galvanometer
• Works on the principle of torque.
• Conversions:
– Galvanometer to Ammeter: Use a shunt resistance in parallel.
G
S = I−Ig
.
– Galvanometer to Voltmeter: Connect a high resistance in series.
R = IVg − G.
• Galvanometer Sensitivity:
– Current Sensitivity: S = Iθ .
θ
– Voltage Sensitivity: Vs = V .
7. Biot-Savart Law
• Magnetic field dB = µ0 Idl sin θ
4πr 2 .
• The field decreases with distance and is perpendicular to the current ele-
ment.
8. Ampere’s Circuital Law
•
H
B · dl = µ0 I.
• Applicable to closed loop paths.
9. Circular Loop and Circular Wire
µ0 IR2
• Circular Loop: At a distance x from the center, B = 2(x2 +R2 )3/2
.
• Circular Wire: Field outside the conductor is zero, inside it varies lin-
early.
10. Solenoid
• Field inside a solenoid: B = µ0 nI, where n is the number of turns per
unit length.
