Amperes law: magnetic field inside an infinite slab containing a volume current.

In summary, the textbook says that the magnetization of the material makes a surface current and this causes the discontinuity in B, but I am unsure if my reasoning is sound.
  • #1
JFuld
23
0

Homework Statement


an infinite slab is centered on the xy plane. the top of the slap is at z=a/2, the bottom of the slab is at z= -a/2. A volume current (J) is set up within the slab. find B everywhere

J = k (1 - z^2/a^2) [itex]\hat{y}[/itex]

Homework Equations



amperes law

The Attempt at a Solution



the only thing I am confused about is finding B inside the slab.

I was going to set up my amperian loop as a rectangle, which is oriented perpendicular to the volume current.

The rectangle would extend a distance z above and below z=0 (z still inside the slab)

however my textbook mentions B is discontinious at a surface current, so i am uncertain if my amperian loop takes that into account.

But given the stuff we have learned so far, I am very confident that we are supposed to apply amperes law to this situation.

Can anyone explain if you can still apply amperes law for points inside a volume current?
 
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  • #2
The only way i see is to
(1) detrmine the vector potential A = (1/4π)∫idv/r
where i = current density across a surface in elemental volume dv anywhere within the slab,
and r = distance from dv to the point of observation. Since i has a y component only, so will A. So A = Ay y.

dv = dx*dy*dz and extends from -∞ < x < ∞, -∞ < y < ∞, and -a/2 < z < a/2
for the part inside the slab. For the outside, integration is limited to |z| > a/2.
r is the distance from each dv to (x,y,z).

This looks like a horrible pair of volume integrals to me!

(2) If you did solve for Ay you could then find B from
B = μ*curl (Ay y).

Sorry this is the best I could do.
 
  • #3
so I think I may have left out the most important piece of information to this problem:

the slab is made of a diamagnetic material (linear media, magnetization antiparallel to B)

then inside the slab, you apply amperes law for the auxilary field H

B=μ[itex]_{o}[/itex](1+χ[itex]_{m}[/itex])H

where the magnetization M =χ[itex]_{m}[/itex]H

So this discontinuity I was so worried about is due to the magnetization?
(M should produce a surface current, which is exactly the source of B's discontinuity)I am pretty comfortable doing these types of problems mathematically, but is my reasoning sound?
 

1. What is Amperes law?

Amperes law is a fundamental law in electromagnetism that relates the magnetic field around a closed loop to the electric current passing through the loop.

2. How does Amperes law apply to an infinite slab containing a volume current?

In the case of an infinite slab containing a volume current, Amperes law states that the magnetic field inside the slab is directly proportional to the magnitude of the current and the distance from the center of the slab.

3. Can Amperes law be used to determine the magnetic field at any point inside the slab?

Yes, Amperes law can be used to calculate the magnetic field at any point inside the slab as long as the distance from the center of the slab is known and the current passing through the slab is constant.

4. Is Amperes law valid for all types of currents?

Yes, Amperes law is valid for all types of currents, including volume currents, surface currents, and line currents.

5. Are there any limitations to the use of Amperes law in calculating the magnetic field inside an infinite slab?

One limitation of Amperes law is that it only applies to steady-state situations, where the current is constant. Additionally, it may not accurately predict the magnetic field at points very close to the edges of the slab.

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