Finding dl in cylindrical coordinates for a curved wire

  • Thread starter vwishndaetr
  • Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cylindrical
1 reply · 2K views · last reply
vwishndaetr
Messages
86
Reaction score
0
Diagram of a thin black wire segment slanting down from the y-axis to the x-axis, with a red section and a vector dl labelled along it; the vertical side is marked sqrt(3)R/2 and the horizontal offset R/2 and R.


The whole problem consists of several parts, but my issue is to come up with a dl for the piece of wire shown.

Im trying to find the force on the wire due to a magnetic field produced by another wire running along the x-axis (not shown in pic).

[tex]\vect{B} = \frac{\mu_0I}{2\pi s}\hat{\phi}[/tex]

I am trying to get my dl x B so I can integrate, but I cannot come up with a dl. The reason I'm having trouble is because I know in cylindrical, for dl, both phi hat and s hat change along integration path for dl.

Someone please help I think I've tried every method except for the one that works. :(
 
I'm interested in this. It seems to me you need to use
B = μI/(2πr) = μI/(2πy) for the magnetic field at height y caused by the wire running along the x-axis. And for the force on the wire, wouldn't you just use
F = ILB or dF = IBdL ? You would then have to express dL as (cos θ)*dx to get an element of length perpendicular to B.