A horizontal wire 1 m long carries 0.4 A and is oriented 30° N of W. The Earth's magnetic field runs due north at this location and is 1.5 x 10^-5 T in strength. What is the magnitude and direction of the magnetic force on the wire?

Question

Nathalie Combs

Physics

15 February, 18:39

A horizontal wire 1 m long carries 0.4 A and is oriented 30° N of W. The Earth's magnetic field runs due north at this location and is 1.5 x 10^-5 T in strength. What is the magnitude and direction of the magnetic force on the wire?

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Answers (1)

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Konner Stevens · Answer 1

Force on a current carrying conductor in a magnetic field is given by the following expression

F = B i L where B is magnetic field perpendicular to wire or current, i is current and L is length of the wire.

Magnetic field of 1.5 x 10⁻⁵ T is making an angle of 60 degree with the wire so the component of field perpendicular to it

B = 1.5 X 10⁻⁵ Cos 30° = 1.3 x 10⁻⁵ T.

Force = BiL

= 1.3 X 10⁻⁵ X. 4 X 1

= 5.2 X 10⁻⁶ N.

The direction of force can be found out from Fleming's left hand rule. It will be along downward direction.