How to Calculate Magnetic Flux Through a Desk?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mrlucky0
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Flux
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
1 reply · 4K views
mrlucky0
Messages
69
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



A horizontal desk surface measures 4.3 m by 2.0 m. If the Earth's magnetic field has magnitude 0.32 mT and is directed 45° below the horizontal, what is the magnetic flux through the desk surface?

Homework Equations



Flux = B*A*Cos(a)

Where A is the area, B is the magnetic field,

The Attempt at a Solution



Flux = B*A*Cos(a)
= (.32E-3 T) * (4.3*2.0 m^2) * ( Cos(45) )
= 0.00194596 T*m

However, the my solution isn't correct and I'm convinced that I'm not doing anything incorrectly.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
mrlucky0 said:

The Attempt at a Solution



Flux = B*A*Cos(a)
= (.32E-3 T) * (4.3*2.0 m^2) * ( Cos(45) )
= 0.00194596 T*m

I don't see anything wrong with your calculation either (other than that the units of flux should be T·(m^2).

I am a bit troubled by the value given for the magnetic field strength. For Earth, this value should be more like 30-60 microteslas or 0.03-0.06 mT. Are you sure about the location of the decimal point in the problem?