Force on current carrying wire

In summary, the force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field is determined by the equation F = I * L * B * sin(theta), where I is the current, L is the length of the wire, B is the strength of the magnetic field, and theta is the angle between the wire and the magnetic field. The direction of the current determines the direction of the force, with same direction resulting in attraction and opposite direction resulting in repulsion. The force is directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field and is also affected by the length of the wire, with a longer wire resulting in a greater force. The angle between the wire and the magnetic field also plays a role in the force, with a perpendicular angle resulting
  • #1
Ry122
565
2
A straight wire of length 90 cm carries a current of 60 A and makes an angle of 45 degrees with a uniform magnetic field. If the force on the wire is 2.0 N what is the magnitude of B.

my attempt:
F=BIL
2=B(6)(.90)
B=.37
What am i doing wrong?
 
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  • #2
F=BIL is assuming the conductor is at 90 degrees to the magnetic field.

if it is at an angle [itex]\theta[/itex], then the formula becomes [itex]F=BILsin\theta[/itex]
 
  • #3

Your calculation is correct, but you need to convert the length of the wire from centimeters to meters to match the units of current (A) and magnetic field (T). So the correct calculation would be:

F = BIL
2 = B(60)(0.9)
B = 2/(60*0.9) = 0.037 T

Alternatively, you could also convert the current from amperes to milliamperes (mA) to match the units of length (m) and magnetic field (T). The calculation would be:

F = BIL
2 = B(0.06)(0.9)
B = 2/(0.06*0.9) = 37 T
 

1. What is the force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field?

The force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field is given by the equation F = I * L * B * sin(theta), where I is the current, L is the length of the wire, B is the strength of the magnetic field, and theta is the angle between the wire and the magnetic field.

2. How does the direction of the current affect the force on a wire in a magnetic field?

The direction of the current determines the direction of the force on the wire. If the current is flowing in the same direction as the magnetic field, the force will be attractive. If the current is flowing in the opposite direction, the force will be repulsive.

3. What is the relationship between the strength of the magnetic field and the force on a wire?

The force on a wire is directly proportional to the strength of the magnetic field. This means that as the magnetic field becomes stronger, the force on the wire will also increase.

4. How does the length of the wire affect the force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field?

The length of the wire also plays a role in the force on a wire in a magnetic field. The longer the wire, the greater the force will be, as long as the other variables (current, magnetic field strength, and angle) remain constant.

5. Does the angle between the wire and the magnetic field affect the force on the wire?

Yes, the angle between the wire and the magnetic field does affect the force on the wire. The force is greatest when the wire is perpendicular to the magnetic field (theta = 90 degrees), and is zero when the wire is parallel to the magnetic field (theta = 0 degrees).

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