Help with electricity, four wires that carry current

[CookieSalesman]

Homework Statement

So four wires are arranged in a square and all carry the same current "I"
They are all the same distance apart. The two on the left are coming out towards you "O" and the two on the right go away from you "X"

I knew I would need kI^{2} divided by distance, but I"m not sure how to find the force, per unit length on the lower left wire. I have to find the magnitude and direction.

 

[SammyS]

Homework Statement

So four wires are arranged in a square and all carry the same current "I"
They are all the same distance apart. The two on the left are coming out towards you "O" and the two on the right go away from you "X"

I knew I would need kI^{2} divided by distance, but I"m not sure how to find the force, per unit length on the lower left wire. I have to find the magnitude and direction.

You need to show an attempt at a solution before we can help you.

 

[CookieSalesman]

:-l

I have.
I try to set it up so that I can break things into vectors in X and Y for both, but I'm not sure how to put together an answer.

 

[SammyS]

:-l

I have.
I try to set it up so that I can break things into vectors in X and Y for both, but I'm not sure how to put together an answer.

What is the question you are trying to answer ?

 

[Simon Bridge]

What you have done is too vague.
Do you know the formula for the force on one current carrying wire due to another one?
Did you try working out the force due to each of the other three wires separately, then summing the vectors?
This is like the square of point charges problems you have done before only with magnetism.

 

[CookieSalesman]

Okay.
Well that should be (k I^2)/distance right?
I'll try that.

 

[Simon Bridge]

For $k=\mu_0/2\pi$ and $I_1=I_2=I$
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/wirfor.html
Careful with the direction.