Wire Suspended By Magnetic Field

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the magnetic force required to suspend a wire using the magnetic fields generated by two current-carrying wires. The user initially calculated the mass of the wire based on its density and radius, but neglected the length, leading to inaccuracies in their calculations. Suggestions were made to consider using linear mass density, given the known cross-sectional area of the wire, to improve the calculations. The user expressed confusion about this approach and requested clarification. The conversation highlights the importance of correctly incorporating all variables in physics problems.
Lancelot59
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I'm given the following situation:
Giancoli.ch28.p52.jpg

The suspended wire has a radius of 1.20mm (0.0012m), and is being held up by the magnetic fields generated by the bottom two wires which have a current of 50A each.

I started with a simple force setup:

F_{g}=2F_{M}sin(60)
mg=2F_{M}sin(60)
F_{M}=\frac{mg}{2sin(60)})

To get the mass of the wire I assumed it was made of copper, the density being 8.94 g/cm^3. Not being given any information about the length I just decided to ignore it.

m=d*v
m=(89.2 \frac{kg}{m^{3}})*\pir^{2}*length

m=(89.2 \frac{kg}{m^{3}})*\pi(0.0006)^{2}*length
m=0.000100883kg

So the total weight force pulling the top wire down is: 0.0009896622N

Now to get the magnetic force I treated the wires as infinitely long wires:
F=I_{2}lB and then for the magnetic field generated from each wire:B=\frac{\mu_{0}I_{1}}{2\pi r}

Then sticking everything together, and doubling the magnetic field:
F_{M}=I_{2}l2B
F_{M}=I_{2}l2(\frac{\mu_{0}I_{1}}{2\pi r})

Putting that into the net force equation:
F_{g}=2(I_{2}l2(\frac{\mu_{0}I_{1}}{2\pi r}))sin(60)
F_{g}=2(I_{2}l(\frac{\mu_{0}I_{1}}{\pi r}))sin(60)

So I substituted in the values and solved for I2. I decided to ignore the length term.
0.0009896622=2(I_{2}l(\frac{(4\pi x10^{-7})(50.0A)}{\pi (0.035m)}))sin(60)
I wound up with I2 being 0.999918041, which is way off. After guessing a few times I got the correct answer of 199 from the system after feeding it 200. Where did I go wrong?
 
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Lancelot59 said:
To get the mass of the wire I assumed it was made of copper, the density being 8.94 g/cm^3. Not being given any information about the length I just decided to ignore it.

This where I think you went wrong, did you consider doing it in terms of a linear mass density? You know the cross-sectional area of the wire, it might help.
 
Elwin.Martin said:
This where I think you went wrong, did you consider doing it in terms of a linear mass density? You know the cross-sectional area of the wire, it might help.

Sorry, could you explain that to me?
 
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