How Does Current Direction Affect Magnetic Field Between Parallel Wires?

[cy19861126]

Homework Statement

Two long parallel conductors carry currents I1 = 3.00A and I2 = 3.00 A, both directed into the page as shown below. Determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant magnetic field at P.

Homework Equations

B = uI/(2*3.14*r)
u = 1.26*10^-6 T*m/A

The Attempt at a Solution

B(I1) = 1.26*10^-6 * 3.00/(2*3.14*0.05) = 1.2*10^-5T
B(I2) = 1.26*10^-6 * 3.00/(2*3.14*0.12) = 5*10^-6T
Now I am having trouble figuring out which direction it is going. Any help would be good. Thanks! I am familiar with the right hand rule, where if you point the thumb to where the current is going and curl the finger, the finger points toward the direction of the magnetic field. The answer for this question is 13.0uT toward the bottom of the page

 

[robb_]

So, how about the field from I1, do you know which way it points at P?

 

[m2003]

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I would like to clarify that the term "straight wired magnetism" is not a commonly used term in the field of physics. The correct term for the phenomenon described in this question is "magnetic field due to two parallel currents."

Moving on to the solution, your calculations for the individual magnetic fields are correct. To determine the direction of the resultant magnetic field at point P, we can use the superposition principle, which states that the total magnetic field at a point due to multiple currents is the vector sum of the individual magnetic fields at that point.

In this case, the magnetic fields due to I1 and I2 are in the same direction, so we can simply add their magnitudes to get the resultant magnetic field at P. The direction of the resultant field is determined by the right hand rule, where the thumb represents the direction of the current and the curled fingers represent the direction of the magnetic field. In this case, the resultant magnetic field will be pointing downwards (towards the bottom of the page).

Therefore, the magnitude of the resultant magnetic field at point P is 1.2*10^-5 T + 5*10^-6 T = 1.7*10^-5 T and the direction is downwards.