4).

Ampere’s Law and Applications

• As far as possible, by analogy with Electrostatics

• B is “magnetic flux density” or “magnetic induction”

• Units: weber per square metre (Wbm-2) or tesla (T)

• Magnetostatics in vacuum, then magnetic media

based on “magnetic dipole moment”
 Biot-Savart Law I
• The analogue of Coulomb’s Law is dB(r)
the Biot-Savart Law r-r’
r

• Consider a current loop (I)

O r’
dℓ’

• For element dℓ there is an

o I d' x(r  r' )
associated element field dB dB(r ) 
4p r  r'
3

dB perpendicular to both dℓ’ and r-r’

same 1/(4pr2) dependence
o is “permeability of free space”
defined as 4p x 10-7 Wb A-1 m-1 o I d' x(r  r' )
4p  r  r' 3
B(r ) 
Integrate to get B-S Law 
 B-S Law examples
I
(1) Infinitely long straight conductor dℓ q

dℓ and r, r’ in the page r’ z r - r’

dB is out of the page
O a dB
B forms circles r
centred on the conductor q  p/2 + a r
sin q = cos a 
Apply B-S Law to get: r 2
+z 
2 1/2

o I
B
2p r
B
 B-S Law examples
(2) “on-axis” field of circular loop
dℓ
Loop perpendicular to page, radius a
r - r’ dB
dℓ out of page and r, r’ in the page r’ q
I r
On-axis element dB is in the page, a z dBz
perpendicular to r - r’, at q to axis.

Magnitude of element dB
 o I d  o I d a a
dB   dB z  cosq cosq  
4p r - r ' 2
4p r - r ' 2
r - r ' a 2 + z 2 1/2

Integrating around loop, only z-components of dB survive

The on-axis field is “axial”
 On-axis field of circular loop
dℓ
o I r - r’
Bon axis   dB z  cosq  d dB
4p r - r '
2
r’ q
I r
o I o Ia 2 a z
 cosq 2p a   dBz
4p r - r '
2 3
2 r - r'

Introduce axial distance z,

o I a 2
where |r-r’|2 = a2 + z2 Bonaxis 

2a +z2 2

3
2

2 limiting cases:

z 0 o I z a o Ia2
Bon axis  and Bon axis 
2a 2z3
 Magnetic dipole moment
The off-axis field of circular loop is
much more complex. For z >> a it is
identical to that of the electric dipole

E
p
4p or 3
2 cosq rˆ + sinq qˆ
B
 om
4p r 3

2 cosq rˆ + sinq qˆ 
where m  p a 2 I  a I or m  p a 2 I zˆ
a area enclosed by current loop
m
m “current times area” vs p “charge times distance” q r
 B field of large current loop
• Electrostatics – began with sheet of electric monopoles
• Magnetostatics – begin sheet of magnetic dipoles
• Sheet of magnetic dipoles equivalent to current loop
• Magnetic moment for one dipole m = I a area a
for loop M = I A area A

• Magnetic dipoles one current loop

• Evaluate B field along axis passing through loop
 B field of large current loop
• Consider line integral B.dℓ from loop
• Contour C is closed by large semi-circle which contributes
zero to line integral
I (enclosed by C)
a
z→-∞ C z→+∞

 
o I a 2dz
 B.d 
C
2  a

2
+z 
2 3/2
+ 0 (semi  circle)  o I  B.d 
  oI

a 2dz oI/2
 a

2
+z 
2 3/2
2 
 Electrostatic potential of dipole sheet
• Now consider line integral E.dℓ from sheet of electric dipoles
• m = I a I = m/a (density of magnetic moments)
• Replace I by Np (dipole moment density) and o by 1/o
• Contour C is again closed by large semi-circle which
contributes zero to line integral


 E.d 


 E.d + 0 (semi  circle)  E.d  0

Np/2o

 C
Electric magnetic 

-Np/2o

Field reverses no reversal

 Differential form of Ampere’s Law
Obtain enclosed current as integral of current density

 B.d   I o encl  o  j.dS

S
B
Apply Stokes’ theorem
j
 B.d     B.dS    j.dS
S
o
S
dI  j.d S

dℓ
Integration surface is arbitrary
  B  o j S

Must be true point wise

 Ampere’s Law examples
(1) Infinitely long, thin conductor

B is azimuthal, constant on circle of radius r B

o I
 B.d  o Iencl  B 2p r  o I  B  2p r
Exercise: find radial profile of B inside and outside conductor
of radius R

o Ir
B Br R 
2p R 2
I
B r R  o
2p r
r
R
 Solenoid
Distributed-coiled conductor B
Key parameter: n loops/metre
I
If finite length, sum individual loops via B-S Law

If infinite length, apply Ampere’s Law

B constant and axial inside, zero outside
Rectangular path, axial length L
I
L
B v ac .d   o I encl  B v acL  o nL I  B v ac  onI

(use label Bvac to distinguish from core-filled solenoids)

solenoid is to magnetostatics what capacitor is to electrostatics

 Relative permeability

Recall how field in vacuum capacitor is reduced when

dielectric medium is inserted; always reduction, whether
medium is polar or non-polar:

E vac
E  B  rB vac
r is the analogous expression
when magnetic medium is inserted in the vacuum solenoid.

Complication: the B field can be reduced or increased,

depending on the type of magnetic medium
 Magnetic vector potential
For an electrostatic field  E.d  0 E  -
 x E   x   0
We cannot therefore represent B by e.g. the gradient of a scalar
since  x B   o j (rhs not zero)

also .B  0 always (.E  )
o
Magnetostatic field, try BxA
.B  . x A   0
 x B   x  x A  (see later)
B is unchanged by A '  A + 
 x A'   x A +     x A + 0