How to find the magnetic force on a current-carrying tube in a neon sign?

Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the magnetic force on a current-carrying tube in a neon sign, specifically considering the effects of the Earth's magnetic field and the geometry of the tube's path. The problem involves understanding the relationship between current, magnetic field, and force in a three-dimensional context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relevant vector equations relating magnetic field, current, and force, with some suggesting integration methods to find the total force. There are questions about the implications of the tube's shape and how to approach the integration limits for different segments of the tube.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively exploring various approaches to the problem, with some providing guidance on simplifying the integral involved. There is an ongoing examination of how to treat the tube's path and the implications of its shape on the calculations.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express uncertainty about the integration limits and the treatment of the tube's shape, indicating potential constraints in the problem setup. The discussion reflects a mix of assumptions about the geometry and the physical principles at play.

SHOORY
Messages
30
Reaction score
1
1. The problem statement, all variables, and given/known data
Assume the Earth’s magnetic field is 52.0 mT northward at 60.08 below the horizontal in Atlanta, Georgia. A tube in a neon sign stretches between two diagonally opposite corners of a shop window—which lies in a north-south vertical plane—and carries current 35.0 mA. The current enters the tube at the bottom south corner of the shop’s window. It exits at the opposite corner, which is 1.40 m farther north and 0.850 m higher up. Between these two points, the glowing tube spells out DONUTS. Determine the total vector magnetic force on the tube
How to solve this equation I just don't know
how to do S letter in DONUTS
how to integrate to find its length

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 
Physics news on Phys.org
SHOORY said:

Homework Equations

This is a good place to start. What vector equations have you been taught relating magnetic field, current and force?
 
haruspex said:
This is a good place to start. What vector equations have you been taught relating magnetic field, current and force?
F=integration of I B sin theta ds
 
f
haruspex said:
This is a good place to start. What vector equations have you been taught relating magnetic field, current and force?
for D O the total force is zero because it is closed
 
haruspex said:
This is a good place to start. What vector equations have you been taught relating magnetic field, current and force?
so now we have to find the force on N U T S
I think for N and T it is easy but U S needs theta and I have a problem thinking of the limits of the theta in the integration
 
SHOORY said:
F=integration of I B sin theta ds
For the vector force, you would have ##\vec F = \int \left( I \vec {dL} \times \vec B \right)##
Try to show that the integral gives the same result no matter what word is spelled-out by the tube in the neon sign.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: SHOORY
TSny said:
For the vector force, you would have ##\vec F = \int \left( I \vec {dL} \times \vec B \right)##
Try to show that the integral gives the same result no matter what word is spelled-out by the tube in the neon sign.
how is that? I mean isn't that... I don't know
so you mean that we ignore the letters and treat it as a rectangle or something
 
SHOORY said:
how is that? I mean isn't that... I don't know
so you mean that we ignore the letters and treat it as a rectangle or something
Well, you need to show that you can ignore the particular shapes of the letters.

The idea is to simplify the integral ##\vec F = \int \left( I \vec {dL} \times \vec B \right)## by factoring out any constant factors.
 
Last edited:
To help you a bit with what post 8 suggests, pretend you're a bug crawling along the tube from one end to the other. You can take any path you like, but you're a smart bug so for each tiny step you take you keep track of the distance traveled in the direction of the tube and the distance traveled perpendicular to the tube. You do that algebraically, resolving each tiny move you make into components parallel and perpendicular to the tube. You can travel any way whatsoever but you must end up at the other corner of the window.

When you separately add up all the + and - parallel and perpendicular steps, what do you get for total net travel alongside & perpendicular to the tube?
 
  • #10
rude man said:
To help you a bit with what post 8 suggests, pretend you're a bug crawling along the tube from one end to the other. You can take any path you like, but you're a smart bug so for each tiny step you take you keep track of the distance traveled in the direction of the tube and the distance traveled perpendicular to the tube.

rm, If you crawl along the tube, then doesn't each tiny step take you in the direction of the tube and never perpendicular to the tube?
Did you mean parallel or perpendicular to the diagonal of the window?
 
  • #11
TSny said:
Did you mean parallel or perpendicular to the diagonal of the window?
Yes.
You can go forwards and backwards, left and right, along the diagonal, all you want, long as you wind up in the other corner. Of course, your net travel has to be forwards in order for you to get from one diagonal corner to the other. Sorry I wasn't too clear on that.
 

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
6K
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
6K
Replies
18
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K