A m p e r e ’s L a w

E mi l y A. G at li n
Pa rt n e r: Whi t n ey H e as t o n
P e rf o rm ed : 4 M a rc h 2 009
11 M a rch 200 9
Joh n Ca ru t h

OBJECTIVE
T h is e xp e r i m e nt s e e k s t o s ho w t he va l i d it y o f A m p e r e ’ s L a w w h i l e le a r n i n g

a bo ut a n a pp l i c a t io n fo r g ia nt ma g ne t o - r e s is t i ve s e ns o r s . T hi s e xp e r i m e nt

m e a s u r e s t he ma g ne t ic f ie l d s t r e ngt h a s a fu nc t io n o f t he d is t a nc e me a s u r e d

p e r p e nd ic u la r l y fr o m a lo ng c u r r e nt c ar r yi n g w ir e .

INTRODUCTION
S t at ic ma g ne t ic f i e ld s c o nt a i n c u r r e nt s f lo w i ng t hr o u g h w ir e s o r s p a c e, a nd in

g e o me t r ic a l l y s y m m e t r ic s it u at io ns , Am p e r e ’ s L a w e na b le s t he c a lc u la t io n o f t he

m a g ne t ic f ie l d i n t er ms o f c u r r e nt . Am p e r e ’ s L a w is a ma t he ma t ic a l fo r mu la t i o n

t hat r e la t e s t he ma g ne t ic f i e ld s t r e ngt h w it h a n y c u r r e nt s a s so c ia t e d w it h t hat

m a g ne t ic f ie l d . I t is t he c lo s e d int e g r at io n o f t he ma g n it u d e o f t he ma g ne t ic

f i e l d t hat e qu a ls t he p r o du ct bet w e e n t he p e r me a b i l it y o f fr e e s p a c e a nd t he

c u r r e nt e xp r e s s e d

 Bdl  B  dl  0I ( 1 . 1 )
I nt e gr at io n a lo ng t he le ng t h o f t he c ir c l e yi e ld s t he i n f i n it e s i m a l d i f f e r e nc e s o f
   
 B   0i w he r e B a nd  a r e ve c t o r qu a nt it ie s ( 1 . 2 )
  
I n g e ne r a l, B a nd Δ  ha ve , a pr o d u ct t hat o nl y t he co mp o ne nt o f B is mu lt ip l i e d
 
t i me s t he i nc r e m e nt le ng t h. I n ve c t o r m u lt ip l i c a t io n, B is t he ―d o t pr o d u ct ‖

o r t he s c a la r mu lt ip l i c a t io n g i ve n b y

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E mi l y A. G at li n A mp e re ’ s L aw 11 M a rch 09

 
B  B cos   B cos  ( 1 . 3)
 
w he r e  = a n g l e b e t we e n B a n d Δ 
 
B cos  is t he co mp o ne nt o f B a lo ng Δ 
T he c u r r e nt o n t he w ir e
 
B B  
  d
B  B
g e ne r a t e s a ma g ne t ic f ie l d – a

r B
r  i
  r
B  m a g ne t ic f ie l d t ha t fo l lo w s t he
B i
 
B B
r ig ht - ha nd r u le . I f t he

m a g ne t ic f ie l d mo ve s c lo c k w i s e , t he c ur r e nt f lo w s i nt o t he bo a r d. T he co nve r s e

i s a ls o t r u e, w he r e i f t he c u r r e nt w er e mo v i n g i nt o t he p a p e r , t he ma g ne t ic f i e l d

w o u ld be c lo c k w is e .

I f t he c ir c u la r p at h w e r e d i v id e d i nt o a l a r g e nu m be r o f i nc r e me nt s  a s s ho w n

a bo ve , B ha s t he s a me ma g n it u d e at e ver y i nc r e me nt a nd is i n t he s a me d ir e c t io n
  
a s  . H e r e, t he a ng le r be t w e e n B a nd  is z e r o . U s i ng   0 , cos   1 t he
 
p r o d u ct B i s B . T hu s , t he s u m m a t io n e xp r e s s io n is no w
 
 B     B cos0   B  B   0i ( 1 . 4 )
w he r e    2r , r  radi us of ci rcul ar path

T hu s , B 2  r  0i  B  0I ( 1 . 5 )
2r
B 1
W he n r e a r r a ng e d, t his e q u a t io n ma k e s a l i n e a r fu nc t io n o f t o g ive a s t r a ig ht
i r
l i n e w he n g r a p he d :
B  1
 0
i 2 r

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E mi l y A. G at li n A mp e re ’ s L aw 11 M a rch 09

T he ve r y lo ng s t r a ig ht le ng t h o f w ir e c a r r yi ng a c u r r e nt ve r i f i e s A m p e r e ’ s la w

u s i ng t his r e la t io ns h i p . T he ma g ne t ic f i e ld d e c r e a s e s in ve r s e l y w it h d is t a nc e a nd

m e a s u r e d r a d ia l l y o u t w ar d fr o m t he w ir e .

PROCEDURE
Apparatus
T he a p p a r at u s u s e d t o ve r i f y t he a fo r e m e nt io ne d

Voltage r e la t io ns h i p is r o u g hl y d e p i c t e d o n t he l e ft . T he

d is t a nc e is d e t er m i ne d w it h a d ig it a l s c a le t o a

p r e c is io n o f 0 . 0 1 - m m a nd t he r a d iu s is t he d is t a nc e

be t w e e n t he c e nt e r o f t he w ir e a nd t he p o int t ha t t he s e ns o r is lo c at e d be ne a t h

t he s ur fa c e o f it s mo u nt i ng p a c k a g e . A G ia nt M a g ne t o r e s is t iv e ( G M R ) s e ns o r

m e a s u r e s t he ma g ne t ic f ie l d w ho s e c ha ng e i n vo lt s i s d ir e c t l y p r o po r t io na l t o t he

c ha ng e in ma g ne t ic f i e l d s t r e ngt h.

T he d ig it a l a na m e t e r d et e r m i ne s t he me a s u r e o f t he c u r r e nt p r e s e nt in t he w ir e .

We g a t he r e d d at a at a p p r o xi m a t e l y 0 . 1 - m m i nt e r va ls i n t he r a ng e 0. 2 - m m t o

1 . 0 0 - m m, 0 . 5 - m m i nt e r va ls i n t he r a ng e 1 - m m t o 5 - m m, 1 . 0 - m m i nt e r va l s in t he

r a ng e 5 - m m t o 1 0 - m m, a nd 5 . 0 - m m i nt e r va ls i n t he r a ng e 1 0 - m m t o 50 - m m.

B 1
A ft e r t he co l le c t io n o f d a t a, t he g r a p h o f versus  a l lo w s t he a c qu is it io n o f
i r

t he l i ne a r r e g r e s s io n e q u a t io n i n o r d e r t o g a in t he me a s u r e d va lu e 0 . T he s lo p e


m  o f t hi s l i n e g i ve s t he va lu e 20 .

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 E mi l y A. G at li n A mp e re ’ s L aw 11 M a rch 09

T he r e fo r e , u s i ng t he s lo p e in t he l i n e a r r e gr e s s io n e q u a t io n, t he me a s u r e d va lu e

o f 0 w a s c a lc u l a t e d a nd co mp a r e d t o t he t he o r et ic a l va l u e i n o r d e r t o ve r i f y

A mp e r e ’ L a w .

DATA/C ALCULATIONS
T he t a b le be lo w s u m ma r i z e s t he me a s u r e d d at a:

position Voltage Voltage

radius sensor
of GMR without current k= 1 1
of wire depth
sensor current present Current
 DV V  V0  B kDV
r’ s 4 T  
p V0 V I 1.11 10 r r ' s  p I i I i
v

0.00118 0.0005 0.0002 0.5720 8.9300 7.5600 1.10 x 10--4 531.914894 1.105555556 0.0001227
0.00118 0.0005 0.0003 0.5557 8.3000 7.4800 1.10 x 10--4 505.050505 1.035334225 0.0001149
0.00118 0.0005 0.0004 0.5630 7.9200 7.4900 1.10 x 10-4 480.769231 0.982242991 0.000109
0.00118 0.0005 0.0005 0.5700 7.5800 7.5100 1.10 x 10--4 458.715596 0.933422104 0.0001036
0.00118 0.0005 0.0006 0.5680 7.2000 7.5300 1.10 x 10--4 438.596491 0.880743692 9.776 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0007 0.5700 6.9800 7.5000 1.10 x 10--4 420.168067 0.854666667 9.487 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0008 0.5770 6.7400 7.5200 1.10 x 10--4 403.225806 0.819547872 9.097 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0009 0.5770 6.5100 7.5200 1.10 x 10--4 387.596899 0.788962766 8.757 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0010 0.5780 6.2800 7.5400 1.10 x 10-4 373.134328 0.756233422 8.394 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.00150 0.5750 5.3100 7.5300 1.10 x 10-4 314.465409 0.628818061 6.98 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.002 0.5750 4.6200 7.5000 1.10 x 10-4 271.73913 0.539333333 5.987 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0025 0.5790 4.04 7.52 1.10 x 10-4 239.23445 0.460239362 5.109 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.003 0.5660 3.57 7.51 1.10 x 10-4 213.675214 0.4 0.0000444
0.00118 0.0005 0.0035 0.5700 3.243 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 193.050193 0.35498008 3.94 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.004 0.5670 2.91 7.51 1.10 x 10-4 176.056338 0.311984021 3.463 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0045 0.5660 2.666 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 161.812298 0.278884462 3.096 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.005 0.5620 2.447 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 149.700599 0.250332005 2.779 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.006000 0.5557 2.067 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 130.208333 0.200703851 2.228 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0070 0.5560 1.78 7.52 1.10 x 10-4 115.207373 0.162765957 1.807 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0080 0.5520 1.58 7.5 1.10 x 10-4 103.305785 0.137066667 1.521 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0090 0.5520 1.448 7.55 1.10 x 10-4 93.6329588 0.118675497 1.317 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0100 0.5490 1.309 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 85.6164384 0.100929615 1.12 x 10-5
0.00118 0.0005 0.0150 0.5430 0.993 7.55 1.10 x 10-4 59.9520384 0.059602649 6.616 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0200 0.5440 0.859 7.54 1.10 x 10-4 46.1254613 0.041777188 4.637 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0250 0.5400 0.781 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 37.4812594 0.032005312 3.553 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0300 0.5370 0.724 7.54 1.10 x 10-4 31.5656566 0.024801061 2.753 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0350 0.5330 0.687 7.53 1.10 x 10-4 27.2628135 0.020451527 2.27 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0400 0.5300 0.659 7.52 1.10 x 10-4 23.9923225 0.017154255 1.904 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0450 0.5290 0.639 7.51 1.10 x 10-4 21.4224507 0.014647137 1.626 x 10-6
0.00118 0.0005 0.0500 0.5270 0.623 7.54 1.10 x 10-4 19.3498452 0.012732095 1.413 x 10-6

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E mi l y A. G at li n A mp e re ’ s L aw 11 M a rch 09

B/i vs. 1/r

0.00014
y = 0.0000002405x - 0.0000066242
0.00012

0.0001

0.00008
B/i

0.00006 B/i vs. 1/r

Linear (B/i vs. 1/r)
0.00004

0.00002

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
-0.00002
1/r

T he s lo p e o bt a i ne d m  0.0000002405 a l lo w s t he c a lc u la t io n fo r t he p er me a b i l it y

0
o f fr e e s p a c e u s i ng m   0  m  2   . T he me a s u r e d va lu e o f 0 i s
2
c o mp a r e d a g a in s t t he t heo r et ic a l va l u e i n o r d e r t o d et e r m i ne t he me a s u r e o f

e x p e r i m e nt a l e r r o r pr e s e nt .

Theoretical Measured % Error

Theoretical  Measured
1.26 × 10-06 1.51111×10-06 % Error = 100  20%
Theoretical
T he po t e nt ia l s o u r c e s fo r e r r o r w it h i n t he e xp e r i m e nt ar e fr o m a va r ie t y o f

s o ur c e s . F ir s t , o ne po s s i b i l it y fo r e r r o r is s i m p l y t he m i s r e a d i ng o f t he r a d iu s

m e a s u r e me nt s d u e t o hu ma n e r r o r . S e co nd , t he i na c c u r a c y o f me a s u r e me nt s

w it h i n c lo s e p r o xi m it y t o t he w ir e i s a n o t he r po t e nt ia l s o u r c e o f e r r o r . T h is is a

s ig n i f i c a nt a r e a be c a u s e t he la r g e s t c ha r g e s in t he ma g ne t ic f i e l d s t r e ngt h o c c ur s

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E mi l y A. G at li n A mp e re ’ s L aw 11 M a rch 09

a t t he s e s ma l l d i s t a nc e s fr o m t h e w ir e — t hu s , i na c c u r a c y a t t h is s t a g e le a d s t o a

h ig he r va r ia nc e fr o m t he e xp e ct e d va lu e t ha n t he r e a d i ng s o bt a ine d a t g r e at

va lu e s . Ot he r po t e nt ia l s o u r c e s o f e r r o r inc l u d e a nd a r e no t l i m it e d t o t he

a p p r o x i ma t io n o f t he c u r r e nt me a s u r e m e nt in t he s e t - u p o f t he e xp e r i me nt ’ s

a p p a r at u s, a nd t he g a i n o f t he a mp l i f i e r t o va r y fr o m t he a p p r o xi m a t e 20 0 .

H o w e ve r , t his e xp e r i m e nt o ve r a l l d e mo ns t r at e d t he co r e co nc e pt o f A m p e r e ’ s l a w

a c c u r at e l y.

CONCLUSION

A lt ho u g h e r r o r e x is t e d w it h t he d at a , t he e xp e r i m e nt c le a r l y d e mo n s t r at e d ho w

A mp e r e ’ s L a w r e la t e s t he ma g ne t ic f i e l d t o t he c u r r e nt u s i ng t he r e la t io ns h ip s

0I
s t at e d w it h i n B  . T h is r e la t io ns h ip a l lo w e d t he e xp e r i m e nt t o c a lc u l a t e t he
2r
va lu e o f t he p e r me a b i l it y o f fr e e s p a c e ( a co ns t a n t ) in t h is r e la t io ns h i p t o ve r i f y

t hi s r e la t io ns h i p a s o ut l i ne d b y A mp e r e ’ s L a w . Ad d it io na l l y, t h is la b p r o vid e d

a n a p p l ic a t io n fo r G M R s e ns o r s a nd me a s u r e d t he ma g ne t ic f i e l d s t r e ng t h a s a

fu nc t io n o f t he d is t a nc e me a s u r e d p e r pe nd ic u l a r l y fr o m a lo ng c u r r e nt - c ar r yi n g

w ir e . C le a r l y, A mp e r e ’ s L a w d e mo ns t r a t e s a t r u e p h ys i c a l p he no me no n t ha t

r e p r o d u c e s t he s a me r e s u lt s a s ve r i f i c a t io n.

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