Chapter 7

Magnetic Forces and Mag -

netic Fields

N S

Figure 7.1
A small compass can be used to
trace the magnetic field lines of a
bar magnet.
 (Courtesy of Henry Leap and Jim Lehman)
(a) (b) (c)

F I G U R E 7.2 (a) Magnetic field patterns surrounding a bar magnet as displayed with iron filings. (b) Magnetic field
patterns between dissimilar poles of two bar magnets. (c) Magnetic field pattern between similar poles of two bar magnets.

FIGURE 7.3 The direction of the

magnetic force on a charged particle moving
v FB
with a velocity : v in the presence of a
:
magnetic field B. (a) When :v is at an angle
:
+ to B, the magnetic force is perpendicular to
v :
FB both : v and B. (b) Oppositely directed
magnetic forces are exerted on two
B oppositely charged particles moving with the
–
same velocity in a magnetic field. The
broken lines suggest the paths followed by
B FB the particles after the instant shown in
+q θ
the figure.
v

(a) (b)
 FB
B

FB

B
(a) (b)

F I G U R E 7.4 Two right-hand rules for determining

: :
the direction of the magnetic force FB q : v B acting
on a particle with charge q moving with a velocity : v in a
:
magnetic field B. (a) In this rule, the fingers point in the
:
direction of :
v , with B coming out of your palm, so that
:
you can curl your fingers in the direction of B. The
: :
direction of v B, and the force on a positive charge, is
the direction in which the thumb points. (b) In this rule,
:
the vector :
v is in the direction of your thumb and B is in
:
the direction of your fingers. The force FB on a positive
charge is in the direction of your palm, as if you are
pushing the particle with your hand.
 B out of page:

(a)

B into page:
× × × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×
× × × × × × ×

(b)
F I G U R E 7.5 (a)Magnetic field lines coming out
of the paper are indicated by dots, representing the
tips of arrows coming outward. (b) Magnetic field
lines going into the paper are indicated by crosses,
representing the feathers of arrows going inward.
 z

e y

60 B

x
FB

F I G U R E 7.6 (Example 7.1) The

:
magnetic force FB on the electron is
in the negative z direction when :v
:
and B lie in the xy plane.

B in

v
q +
FB r
FB
v +
q
FB

v
+
q

Figure 7.7

When the velocity of a charged particle

is perpendicular to a uniform magnetic
field, the particle moves in a circular
:
path in a plane perpendicular to B. The
:
magnetic force FB acting on the charge
is always directed toward the center of
the circle
 y

Helical
+q path
+

z
x

Figure 7.8
A charged particle having a velocity
vector with a component parallel to a
uniform magnetic field moves in a
helical path.
 Magnetic field
region (out of page)

FB

F I G U R E 7.9 (Thinking
Physics 7.2) A positively
charged particle enters a
region of magnetic field
Particle directed out of the page.
motion

(Courtesy of Henry Leap and Jim Lehman)

F I G U R E 7.10(Example 7.3) The

bending of an electron beam in a
magnetic field.
 Bin
×
Source + + + + + + + qv × B
×
E
+q
v

Slit qE
– – – – –

(a) (b)

Figure 7.11

(a) A velocity selector. When a positively charged particle is in

the presence of a magnetic field directed into the page and an
electric field directed downward, it experiences a downward :
: :
electric force q E and an upward magnetic force q v B.
(b) When these forces balance, the particle moves in a straight
line through the fields.

Detector × × × × ×
array P
× × × × ×
r
Bin × × × × ×
× × × × ×
× × × × ×

E q × × × × ×
v
× × × × ×
× × × × ×
Velocity selector × × × × ×

B0, in

Fgure 7.12
A mass spectrometer. Positively charged particles are sent
first through a velocity selector and then into a region
:
where the magnetic field B0 causes the particles to move in
a semicircular path and strike a detector array at P.
 +

(Bell Telephone Labs/Courtesy of Emilio Segrè Visual Archives)

+
Magnetic field coil
–

Deflected electron beam

Cathode Slits
+
–
Undeflected
Deflection electron
plates beam
Fluorescent
coating
(a) (b)

FIGURE 7.13 (a) Thomson’s apparatus for measuring e/me . Electrons are accelerated from the cathode, pass through two slits,
and are deflected by both an electric field and a magnetic field (directed perpendicular to the electric field). The electrons then
strike a fluorescent screen. (b) J. J. Thomson (left) in the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. It is interesting to note
that the man on the right, Frank Baldwin Jewett, is a distant relative of John W. Jewett Jr., coauthor of this text.

FIGURE 7.14 (a) A

(Courtesy of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California)

B cyclotron consists of an ion

Alternating ∆V source at P, two hollow sections
P called dees, D1 and D2, across
D1 which an alternating potential
difference is applied, and a
D2
uniform magnetic field. (The
Particle exits here south pole of the magnet is not
shown.) The red dashed
curved lines represent the path
North pole of magnet
of the particles. (b) The first
cyclotron, invented by E. O.
Lawrence and M. S. Livingston
(a) (b) in 1934.
 F I G U R E 7.15 (a) A wire
suspended vertically between
the poles of a magnet. (b) The
setup shown in (a) as seen
looking at the south pole of
× × × × × × × × × × × ×
× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × the magnet so that the
Bin × × × × × Bin × × × × × Bin × × × × × magnetic field (green crosses)
× × × × × × × × × × × × × × ×
× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × is directed into the page.
× × × × × × × × × × × ×
When no current is flowing in
I I the wire, it remains vertical.
I=0
(c) When the current is
upward, the wire deflects to
the left. (d) When the current
(a) (b) (c) (d ) is downward, the wire deflects
to the right.

FB

A
Bin

vd
q +

F I G U R E 7.16 A section of a wire

containing moving charges in a
:
magnetic field B. The magnetic
:
force on each charge is q :
vd B , and
the net force on a segment of length
: :
is I B.

I
B
ds

F I G U R E 7.17 A wire segment of

arbitrary shape carrying a current I
:
in a magnetic field B experiences a
magnetic force. The force on any
:
length element d : s is I d :
s d B and
is directed out of the page.
 B

θ
R ds

θ
dθ
θ

F I G U R E 7.18 (Example 7.4) The

net force on a closed current loop in a
uniform magnetic field is zero. For the
loop shown here, the force on the
straight portion is 2IRB and out of the
page, whereas the force on the curved
portion is 2IRB and into the page.
 I

B
I

I
I

b
(a)

F2 b
2

O
B

F4
(b)

F I G U R E 7.19 (a) Overhead view

of a rectangular current loop in a
uniform magnetic field. No magnetic
forces are exerted on sides and
:
because these sides are parallel to B.
Forces are exerted on sides and ,
however. (b) Edge view of the loop
sighting down and shows that
: :
the forces F2 and F4 exerted on these
sides create a torque that tends to
rotate the loop clockwise. The purple
dot in the left circle represents
current in wire coming toward
you; the purple in the right circle
represents current in wire moving
away from you.
 F2

b A
2
θ θ
B
–b sin θ O
2
×

F4

Figure 7.20
An end view of the loop in Figure 7.19b
rotated through an angle with respect to
:
the magnetic field. If B is at an angle u
:
with respect to vector A , which is
perpendicular to the plane of the loop,
the torque is IAB sin u.

µ A

F I G U R E 7.21 Right-hand rule for

:
determining the direction of the vector A
. The direction of the magnetic moment
: :
is the same as the direction of A .
 d Bout P

I
r
θ ds

r
P
dBin

F I G U R E 7.22 The magnetic field

:
d B at a point P due to a current I
through a length element d : s is given
by the Biot – Savart law. The field is
out of the page at P and into the page
at P . (Both P and P are in the plane
of the page.)
 I

r
B

F I G U R E 7.23 The right-hand

rule for determining the direction of
the magnetic field surrounding a
long, straight wire carrying a current.
Note that the magnetic field lines
form circles around the wire. The
mag-nitude of the magnetic field at a
distance r from the wire is given by
Equation 7.21.
 y

ds

θ r
dBy
R dB
O r
z
x
θ
I
P
dBx x

F I G U R E 7.24 (Example 7.6) The geometry for

calculating the magnetic field at a point P lying on the
:
axis of a current loop. By symmetry, the total field B is
along this axis.
:
 N

(© Richard Megna, Fundamental Photographs)

N

I S
S

(a) (b) (c)

F I G U R E 7.25 (Example 7.6) (a) Magnetic field lines surrounding a current loop. (b) Magnetic field lines surrounding a
current loop displayed with iron filings. (c) Magnetic field lines surrounding a bar magnet. Note the similarity between this
line pattern and that of a current loop.
 1
I1
B2
F1 a
2
I2
a

Figure 7.26
Two parallel wires that each carry a
steady current exert
:
a force on each
other. The field B2 due to the current
in wire 2 exerts a force of magnitude
F1 5 I1,B2 on wire 1. The force is
attractive if the currents are parallel
(as shown) and repulsive if the
currents are antiparallel.
 I
(© Richard Megna, Fundamental Photographs)

ds

I = 0

(a) (b)
(c)
Figure 7.27
(a) When no current is present in the vertical wire, all compass needles point in the same direction (toward the Earth’s
North Pole). (b) When the wire carries a strong current, the compass needles deflect in a direction tangent to the circle,
which is the direction of the magnetic field created by the current. (c) Circular magnetic field lines surrounding a current-
carrying conductor, displayed with iron filings.
 1 I

R
2

r
ds

F I G U R E 7.28 (Example 7.7)

A long, straight wire of radius R
carrying a steady current I
uniformly distributed across the
wire. The magnetic field at any
point can be calculated from
Ampère’s law using a circular path
of radius r, concentric with the wire.

B r
B 1/r

r
R

F I G U R E 7.29 (Example 7.7)

Magnitude of the magnetic field
versus r for the wire described in
Figure 7.31. The field is
proportional to r inside the wire
and varies as 1/r outside the wire.
 B

ds
r
b
I a c

F I G U R E 7.30 (Example 7.8)

A toroid consisting of many turns
of wire wrapped around a
doughnut-shaped structure (called
a torus). If the coils are closely
spaced, the field in the interior of
the toroid is tangent to the dashed
circle and varies as 1/r. The
dimension a is the cross-sectional
radius of the torus. The field
outside the toroid is very small and
can be described by using the
amperian loop at the right side,
perpendicular to the page.
 N

(a)

(Henry Leap and Jim Lehman)

( b)
F I G U R E 7.31 (a) Magnetic field lines
for a tightly wound solenoid of finite length
carrying a steady current. The field in the
space enclosed by the solenoid is nearly
uniform and strong. Note that the field lines
resemble those of a bar magnet and that the
solenoid effectively has north and south
poles. (b) The magnetic field pattern of a bar
magnet, displayed with iron filings.
B

×
w

1 3
×
×
× 4 F I G U R E 7.32 Cross-sectional view of an ideal solenoid, where the interior
magnetic field is uniform and the exterior field is close to zero. Ampère’s law
× applied to the circular path near the bottom whose plane is perpendicular to
× the page can be used to show that there is a weak field outside the solenoid.
Ampère’s law applied to the rectangular dashed path in the plane of the page
can be used to calculate the magnitude of the interior field.

FIGURE 7.33 An
electron moving in a circular
orbit of radius r has an angular
:
momentum L in one
direction and a magnetic
moment : in the opposite
direction. The motion of the
electron in the direction of the
gray arrow results in a current
in the direction shown.
 (a)

B
(b)

B
(c)

F I G U R E 7.34 (a) Random orientation of atomic

magnetic dipoles in the domains of an unmagne-
:
tized substance. (b) When an external field B is
applied, the domains with components of magnetic
:
moment in the same direction as B grow larger. (c) As
the field is made even stronger, the domains with
magnetic moment vectors not aligned with the
external field become very small.
 (Courtesy of CENCO)

Figure Q7.3 Bending of a beam of

electrons in a magnetic field.
 (Courtesy of CENCO)
Figure Q7.17 Magnetic levitation
using two ceramic magnets.
 z

t
y

I c B

d F
+
vd I

a x
B

Figure P7.13
 y
B z

a
d
I

b x
c

Figure P7.16

Figure P7.23

I2 I1
x
–2a 0 2a

Figure P7.25
 I

30.0
P

Figure P7.27

a
A I
B a C a

Figure P7.28

Figure P7.29
 I1
I2

c a

Figure P7.31

A × C

0.200 m
P

B × D
0.200 m
Figure P7.33
 B C

A
ds
I
F I G U R E 7.1 (Quick Quiz 7.4) Where is the
magnetic field the greatest?

d c
5A
1A
d
c
b

a 2A

F I G U R E 7.2 (Quick Quiz 7.6) Four closed paths F I G U R E 7.3 (Quick Quiz 7.6) Four closed paths
around three current-carrying wires. near a single current-carrying wire.