Proving an expression / help with defining electric current

In summary, the problem involves two long, straight conducting wires with linear mass density λ suspended from cords and connected to each other by a slack, low-resistance conducting wire. A charged capacitor (capacitance C) is added to the system, with the positive and negative plates connected to the front and back ends of the wires, respectively. The initial velocity of the wires is given by v0=(μ0Q02)/(4πλRCd), where R is the electrical resistance of the wire path and the time constant for the capacitor to discharge is negligible. To solve for the initial speed of either wire, an expression for I(t) must be written and incorporated into the force per unit length equation, which can then be used
  • #1
ztalira
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Homework Statement


http://imgur.com/AotzH28
Two long, straight conducting wires with linear mass density λ are suspended from cords so that they are each horizontal, parallel to each other, and a distance d apart. The back ends of the wires are connected to each other by a slack,low-resistance conducting wire. A charged capacitor ( capacitance C) is now added to the system; the positive plate of the capacitor(initial charge +Q) is now connected to the front end of one of the wires, and the negative plate (initial charge -Q) is connected to the other end of the wire. Both of these connections are also made of slack, low-resistance wires. when the connection is made, the wires are pushed aside by the repulsive force between the wires,and each wire has an initial velocity of magnitude V0
Assume that the time constant for the capacitor to discharge in negligible compared to the time it takes for any displacement in the position of the wires to occur.

a) Show that the initial speed of either wire is given by
v0=(μ0Q02)/(4πλRCd)

Homework Equations


F=ILB
B=(μ0I)/(2πr)

The Attempt at a Solution


F=ILB
F/L=IB
F/L=(μ0I2)/(2πr)

But here's where I'm stuck.
I tried working it out from here and the answer ends up being wrong.
The next step is
F/L=(μ0I2)/(4πr)
which is gotten from isolating I2/2 and putting it back into the equation, but I don't see how that's exactly done.
Any tips?
 
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  • #2
I see that the given solution has an R in it. Presumably this is the electrical resistance of the wire path. This leads me to believe that you're meant to consider that the current decays over some short time dictated by the RC time constant.

Why not start by writing an expression for ##I(t)##. Incorporate that into your expression for the force per unit length on the wires. Then think about how you might turn that force per unit length into an acceleration.
 

1. What is electric current?

Electric current is the flow of electric charge through a medium, such as a wire or a circuit. It is measured in units of amperes (A) and is represented by the symbol I.

2. How is electric current defined?

Electric current is defined as the rate of flow of electric charge, or the amount of charge passing through a given point in a circuit per unit time. It is typically calculated as I = Q/t, where Q is the amount of charge and t is the time it takes for the charge to pass through a point.

3. What is the relationship between electric current and voltage?

Electric current and voltage are directly related. Voltage is the potential difference between two points in a circuit, and it is what drives the flow of electric current. The higher the voltage, the greater the current flow.

4. How can an expression for electric current be proven?

An expression for electric current can be proven through experimental data and theoretical calculations. By measuring the voltage and current in a circuit and comparing it to the expected values, we can determine if the expression accurately represents the relationship between current and voltage.

5. Can you provide an example of an expression for electric current?

One example of an expression for electric current is Ohm's law, which states that the current in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage and inversely proportional to the resistance. This can be represented as I = V/R, where I is the current, V is the voltage, and R is the resistance.

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