Understanding the Zero Magnetic Field at the Center of a Square - Explained

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SUMMARY

The magnetic field at the center of a square formed by four currents, each directed into the page, is zero due to the symmetrical arrangement of the currents. According to the Right Hand Rule, the magnetic fields produced by each current are directed clockwise, resulting in cancellation: the field from current 1 cancels with current 3, and the field from current 2 cancels with current 4. This leads to a net magnetic field of zero at the center of the square.

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  • Understanding of magnetic fields and their direction
  • Familiarity with the Right Hand Rule for current-carrying conductors
  • Basic knowledge of electromagnetic theory
  • Concept of magnetic field cancellation in symmetrical configurations
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  • Explore the principles of magnetic field superposition
  • Learn about the Biot-Savart Law for calculating magnetic fields from currents
  • Investigate the effects of different current configurations on magnetic fields
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Nimmy
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So I am trying to understand why the answer is zero for this problem.

Calculate the magnetic field at the center of the square.

The figure shows 4 circles with Xs (which I understand indicates, magnetic field direction is going into the page) forming into a square, if that makes any sense.

Please explain to me why the magnetic field is zero.
 
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Are the circles with X's in the corners possibly currents all going into the page?

Or are you saying that there are 4 flux lines at each corner going into the page?
 
LowlyPion said:
Are the circles with X's in the corners possibly currents all going into the page?

Or are you saying that there are 4 flux lines at each corner going into the page?

The circles with the Xs in the corners are currents all going into the page.
 
Well then what is the magnetic field about a current in a wire?

What is the B-field from each of the currents? And more importantly how are they directed?
 
LowlyPion said:
Well then what is the magnetic field about a current in a wire?

What is the B-field from each of the currents? And more importantly how are they directed?

Thanks someone explained it to me...

(x)1 (x)2

(x)3 (x)4

From RIGHT HAND RULE.
So the magnetic field on 1,2,3,4 are all clockwise. So 1 will be canceling out with 3 and 2 will be canceling out with 4. Therefore, there is no magnetic field.
 
Nimmy said:
Thanks someone explained it to me...

(x)1 (x)2




(x)3 (x)4

From RIGHT HAND RULE.
So the magnetic field on 1,2,3,4 are all clockwise. So 1 will be canceling out with 3 and 2 will be canceling out with 4. Therefore, there is no magnetic field.

There you go. You got it.
 

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