# Qucik easy question

1. Apr 1, 2004

### Spectre32

alright.... i just figured out two magnetic fields, and now the question is asking me to find out the net magnetic field and the direction, for the net i would just subtract the biggest from the smallest, and then i use the Right hand rule to figure out the direction of the B field.... is this correct.

2. Apr 1, 2004

### cookiemonster

Try vector addition, not a combination of vector addition and the cross product.

cookiemonster

3. Apr 1, 2004

### Spectre32

so u mena like set the bigge one - the smaller one = 0?

4. Apr 1, 2004

### cookiemonster

It doesn't matter which one's bigger or smaller.

You are familiar with vector addition, correct?

$$\vec{v} = <v_x,v_y>$$
$$\vec{v} + \vec{u} = <v_x,v_y> + <u_x,u_y> = <v_x + u_x,v_y + u_y>$$

And bigger - smaller = 0 would imply that bigger = smaller, just for reference.

cookiemonster

5. Apr 2, 2004

### HallsofIvy

Staff Emeritus

No, when he said "try vector addition", believe it or not, he actually meant "add". You already know the two fields separately- the "net" force field is exactly the same as the sum- if the two forces are in the same direction, then the "net" force is "larger" (in strength)- if they are in opposite directions, the sum is smaller (in strength). In any case, the vector properties will take care of that- just add the vectors.

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