PHY 152 (II)

DR. OLAWEPO, A. O
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN
Force between two parallel current-carrying
wires
A carrying wire has a magnetic field round it. This field exerts force around the wire.

You might expect that there are significant forces between current-carrying wires, since ordinary
currents produce significant magnetic fields and these fields exert significant forces on ordinary
currents.
However, you might not expect that the force between wires is used to define the ampere. It might
also surprise you to learn that this force has something to do with why large circuit breakers burn up
when they attempt to interrupt large currents.

The force between two long straight and parallel conductors

separated by a distance r can be found by applying what we
have developed in preceding sections.
 Force between two parallel current-carrying wires
If two long parallel wires carrying currents are placed close to each other (as we had in our first
example) as shown in Fig. 1, they will exert force on each other.

a Consider the force on wire b due to the current in wire a.

d Current 𝑖𝑎 produces a magnetic field 𝑩𝑎 . This field causes a
force on b. to obtain the force on b, we must consider the
𝐹𝑏𝑎 b magnitude and direction of the field B at the side of wire b.
𝜇0 𝑖𝑎
𝐵𝑎 =
𝑖𝑎 L 2𝜋𝑑
The right hand rule (RHR1) gives the direction of B
𝑖𝑏
Fig. 1: Two current carrying conductor lying To find the force on wire b carrying current 𝑖𝑏 , we use the equation of force,
side by side. The magnetic force due to 𝐹 = 𝑖𝐿𝐵𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
field on b, due to field of a.
Noting that F is acting perpendicular to the length of the wire (so that
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 1)
𝐹𝑏𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 𝑳 × 𝑩𝑎
where L is the length the wire,. Substituting for the value of 𝑩𝑎 , we have
𝜇0 𝐿𝑖𝑎 𝑖𝑏
𝐹𝑏𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 𝐿𝑩𝑎 =
2𝜋𝑑
 Force between two parallel current-carrying wires
The direction of 𝑭𝑏𝑎 is the direction of the cross product 𝑳 × 𝑩.
Applying the left hand rule (LHR), 𝑭𝑏𝑎 is directed toward wire a as shown in Fig.1

The same procedure can be used to compute the force on wire a due to the current flowing in wire b.
We would find that the force on is directed toward b, hence the two wires with parallel current attract
each other. Thus parallel current attract while antiparallel currents repel
 Definition of the Ampere
The definition of the Ampere can be derived from the discussion above.
The two forces are of the same
magnitude, but acting in opposite
Recall that the force on wire b due to the current in wire a is given as directions. The pair therefore forms a
𝜇0 𝐿𝑖𝑎 𝑖𝑏 pair of action and reaction as in
𝐹𝑏𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 𝐿𝑩𝑎 =
2𝜋𝑑 Newton’s third law.
Similarly, the force on wire a due to the current flowing in wire b would
be

𝜇 𝐿𝑖 𝑖
𝐹𝑎𝑏 = 𝑖𝑎 𝐿𝑩𝑏 = 02𝜋𝑑𝑏 𝑎
Hence, the force per unit length on the wire a is When the separation between the wires 𝑑 = 1𝑚
𝐹𝑎𝑏 And the current 𝑖𝑎 = 𝑖𝑏 = 1𝐴, then
= 𝑖𝑎 𝑩𝑏 4𝜋×10−7 ×1×1
𝐿 𝐹𝑎𝑏
=
𝐹𝑏𝑎
= = 2 × 10−7 N/m
𝜇0 𝑖𝑏 𝐿 𝐿 2𝜋×1
= 𝑖
2𝜋𝑑 𝑎
Similarly, the force per unit length on the wire b is
𝐹𝑏𝑎 Definition:
= 𝑖𝑏 𝑩𝑎 An Ampere (1A) is the value of the steady current when
𝐿
𝜇0 𝑖𝑎 flowing in two long, parallel wires separated by a distance
= 𝑖
2𝜋𝑑 𝑏 of 1m in a vacuum, a force of 2 × 10−7 N/m acts between
the wires.
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents
How much current is needed to produce a significant magnetic field, perhaps as strong as the Earth’s field? Surveyors
will tell you that overhead electric power lines create magnetic fields that interfere with their compass readings.

In actual sense, when Oersted discovered in 1820 that a current in a wire affected a compass needle, he was not dealing
with extremely large currents. So how does the shape of wires carrying current affect the shape of the magnetic field
created?

As we have seen earlier, a current loop creates a magnetic field similar to that of a bar magnet, but what about a
straight wire or a toroid (doughnut)?

How is the direction of a current-created field related to the direction of the current?

We shall attempt to answer these questions in this section, together with a brief discussion of the law governing the
fields created by currents.
 Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents: Bio and Savart law
The magnetic field of a long straight wire has more implications than you might at first suspect.
Each segment of current produces a magnetic field like that of a long straight wire, and the total field of any shape
current is the vector sum of the fields due to each segment. The formal statement of the direction and magnitude of
the field due to each segment is called the Biot-Savart law.
Thus, Bio - Savart law gives the magnetic flux density B, for any shape of conductor carrying current.
According to this law, the flux density ∆𝐵 at a point due to a small element ∆𝑙 of a conductor carrying current is
given by
𝐼∆𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼
∆𝐵 ∝
𝑟2
where r is the distance from the point P to the element and α is the angle between the element and the line joining
it to P
I
∝ r P
∆𝑙

Fig. 2: Showing magnetic field due to an element ∆𝑙 of a current

carrying wire at a point P at a distant r to the wire.

The constant of proportionality in the equation depends on the medium

𝜇0 𝐼∆𝑙𝑠𝑖𝑛 ∝
∆𝐵 =
4𝜋 𝑟2
where 𝜇0 =4𝜋 × 10−7 Henry/meter
 Magnetic Field Created by a Long Straight Current-Carrying Wire:
Right Hand Rule 2
Magnetic fields are vectors having both magnitude and
direction. As we mentioned earlier, we can explore the
direction of a magnetic field with magnetic compasses, as
shown for a long straight current-carrying wire in Figure 3.

We can also use Hall probes to determine the magnitude of the

field.
The field around a long straight wire is found to be in circular
loops. The direction of the field is given by The right hand rule
2 (RHR-2): point the thumb in the direction of the current, and
the fingers curl in the direction of the magnetic field
loops created by it.
Figure 3. (a) Compasses placed near a long straight current-carrying wire
indicate that field lines form circular loops centered on the wire. (b) Right
The magnetic field strength produced by a long straight current carrying hand rule 2 states that, if the right hand thumb points in the direction of
the current, the fingers curl in the direction of the field. This rule is
conductor is found by experiment to be consistent with the field mapped for the long straight wire and is valid for
𝝁𝟎 𝑰 any current segment.
𝑩=
𝟐𝝅𝒓
where I is the current, r is the shortest distance to the wire, and the
constant 𝜇0 = 4𝜋 × 10−7 𝑇. 𝑚 /A is the permeability of free space
Example:
Find the current in a long straight wire that would produce a magnetic field twice the strength of the Earth’s at
a distance of 5.0 cm from the wire.

Solution
The Earth’s field is about 5.0 × 10−5 T, and so here B due to the
wire is taken to be 1.0 × 10−4 T. The equation. Using the
equation
𝝁𝟎 𝑰
𝑩=
𝟐𝝅𝒓
Solving for I and entering known values gives

𝐵2𝜋𝑟 2𝜋(5.0 × 10−2 ) 1.0 × 10−4

𝐼= =
𝜇0 4𝜋 × 10−7
= 25 𝐴
Magnetic Fields Produced by Currents: Ampere’s Law
Integral calculus is needed to sum the field for an arbitrary shape current. This results in a more complete law,
called Ampere’s law, which relates magnetic field and current in a general way.
Ampere’s law
The line integral of the magnetic field B around any closed loop is equal to 𝜇0 times the net current across the
area bounded by the loop.
Ampere’s law can be used to find the magnetic field due to any distribution of currents if only the distribution
has some symmetry such as we have in Fig.4 below.

ds ර 𝑩𝑑𝒔 = 𝜇0 𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
B
i

Fig. 4: Magnetic field due to current enclosed within a loop on element 𝑑𝒔 of the loop.

The circle on the integral sign indicates that the integration is over a closed loop called an Amperian loop.
𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑 is the net current encircled by the loop. If a closed loop does encircle a current-carrying wire, the line
integral of the B field is zero.
 Application of Ampere’s law

1. If B is everywhere tangential to the integration path or loop and has the same magnitude B at every point on the
path, then its line integral is equal to B multiplied by the circumference of the path.
2. If B is everywhere perpendicular to the path, for all or some portion of the path or loop, that portion of the path
makes no contribution to the line integral. i.e. ‫ = 𝐵 ׯ‬0
3. In the integral ‫𝑠𝑑𝐵 ׯ‬, B is always the total magnetic field at each point on the path. In general this field is caused
partly by currents linked by the path and partly by currents outside. Even when no current is linked by the path,
the field at points on the path need not be zero. In that case, the surface integral is always zero.
4. Some judgement is required in choosing an integration path. Two useful guiding principles are that the point or
points at which the field is to be determined must lie on the path and that the path must have enough symmetry
so that the integral can be evacuated.
5. For straight wire ‫𝐵 ׯ‬. 𝑑𝑙 𝑑𝑙 = 𝐵 ‫𝐵 = 𝑙𝑑 ׯ‬. 2𝜋𝑟 since B is the same everywhere along the line. 𝐵. 2𝜋𝑟 = 𝜇0 𝐼 ⇒
𝜇 𝐼
0
𝐵 = 2𝜋𝑟 which agrees with Bio and Savart method
6. For toroid or solenoid, B is same everywhere and directed along the loop at every point ‫⟹ 𝐿𝐵 = 𝑙𝑑 ׯ 𝐵 = 𝑙𝑑 𝐵 ׯ‬
𝜇0 𝐼𝑁
𝐵𝐿 = 𝜇0 𝐼𝑁, 𝐵 = = 𝜇0 𝑛𝐼 where n=N/L
𝐿
EXAMPLE
What is the field inside a 2.00-m-long solenoid that has 2000 loops and carries a 1600-A current?

Solution
To find the field strength inside a solenoid, we use 𝐵 = 𝜇0 𝑛𝐼.

First, we note the number of loops per unit length is

𝑁 2000
𝑛 = 𝑙 = 2.00 = 1000𝑚−1 = 10𝑐𝑚−1
Substituting known values gives
𝐵 = 4𝜋 × 10−7 × 10−1 × 1600
= 2.01 𝑇
Example: Two vertical, parallel long wires are separated by a distance of 0.3 m along the east-west direction. The current in the
west wire is 20 A and that in the other wire is 30 A. both the current flow upwards,. If the horizontal component of the earth's
magnetic field is 2.0 × 10−5 T, calculate the resultant force per unit length of each wire.

Solution:

𝐼1 = 20 𝐴 𝐼2 = 30 𝐴

𝐵𝐻
𝐵𝐻 N

𝐵1 E

𝐵2
F
S

The magnetic flux density 𝐵1 at a distance 0.3 m to the right of the west wire
0.3 m carrying a current 𝐼1 =20 A is in the direction shown and of magnitude
𝜇0 𝐼1
𝐵1 =
2𝜋𝑟
4𝜋 × 10−7 20
=
2𝜋 0.3
= 1.33 × 10−5 𝑇 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ
 Hence the resultant flux density at the position of the east wire is

𝐵 = 𝐵1 + 𝐵𝐻 (𝐵𝐻 = horizontal componentnof the earth′ s magnetic field)

= 1.33 + 2.00 × 10−5 𝑇
= 3.33 × 10−5 𝑇
hence the force per unit length of the east wire is

𝐹
= 𝐵𝐼2
𝑙
= 3.33 × 10−5 × 30
= 1.00 × 10−3 𝑁𝑚−1 towards the west
The magnetic flux density 𝐵2 at a distance 0.3 m to the west of the east wire is

𝜇0 𝐼2
𝐵2 = 2𝜋𝑟
4𝜋 × 10 −7 × 30
=
2𝜋 0.3
= 2.0 × 10−5 T towards the south
Hence the resultant flux density at the position of the west wire, 0.3 m to the left of the wire carrying a
current of 30 A is
𝐵′ = 𝐵𝐻 − 𝐵2
= 2.0 − 2.0 × 10−5 𝑇
=0
Hence there is no force on the west wire.