Magnetic fields out of long wires

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on calculating the magnetic field at a specific point using Ampere's Law with a current of 5.0A. The initial calculation incorrectly used a radius of 0.2 cm instead of the correct 0.01 m, leading to an erroneous result. Participants emphasize the importance of using consistent units, specifically meters for the radius. The user acknowledges the mistake and expresses a need to verify values more carefully in future calculations. Accurate unit conversion is crucial for obtaining the correct magnetic field result.
winterbell
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Homework Statement


Assume that I = 5.0A.
33.Ex13_v2.jpg

What is the magnetic field at point b in the figure? Give your answer as a vector.

Homework Equations


Ampere's Law - B = (μ0I)/(2πr)

The Attempt at a Solution


I tried plugging the given numbers into Ampere's Law for point b, which gave me B = (4π*10-7) *5.0 I/(2π*0.2 cm), or a result of 1*10-5 T pointing in the positive direction. I assumed this should be doubled as there are two identical fields, giving me 2*10-5 T, but this is wrong. Any help on where I went wrong would be appreciated.
 
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Hello, winterbell and welcome to PF!

winterbell said:
I tried plugging the given numbers into Ampere's Law for point b, which gave me B = (4π*10-7) *5.0 I/(2π*0.2 cm), ...

Where did the 0.2 cm come from?

Also, should r be in cm or meters?
 
TSny said:
Hello, winterbell and welcome to PF!
Where did the 0.2 cm come from?

Also, should r be in cm or meters?

r should be in metres - having gone back and checked I realized that I should actually have had an extra 0 in there and it should have been 0.01 m. I should probably check my values better as I seem to often have problems with this!

Thanks for your help.
 
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