13.

2 MAGNETIC FIELD DUE TO A CURRENT-

CARRYING CONDUCTOR:
 Magnetic effect of current:

A current carrying conductor is always associated with a magnetic

field around it. This is called the ‘magnetic effect of current’. [An electric
current through a metallic conductor produces a magnetic field around it].

 Electromagnetism:

 Electromagnetism is a process where a magnetic field is created by

introducing the current in the conductor. When a conductor is electrically
charged it generates magnetic lines. For example, if current i.e., positive
charges move in a wire, it produces the magnetic field along the wire.
 Hans Christian Oersted (1777- 1851), one of the leading scientists of the 19th
century, played a crucial role in understanding electromagnetism. In 1820 he
accidentally discovered that a compass needle got deflected when an electric
current passed through a metallic wire placed nearby. Through this
observation Oersted showed that electricity and magnetism were related
phenomena. His research later created technologies such as the radio,
television and fiber optics. The unit of magnetic field strength is named the
oersted in his honor.
 What happens to the needle of a magnetic compass when it is placed
near a current-carrying wire?

 If a magnetic compass is placed near a conductor carrying current (wire), the

needle is deflected. This shows that a conductor carrying current has a
magnetic field around it.
 If the direction of the current is from north to south, the deflection of the
magnetic needle is towards the east. If the direction of the current is from
south to north, the deflection of the needle is towards the west.
 SNOW RULE : When current is flowing from south to north the magnetic
needle gets deflected towards west. When current is flowing from north to
south the magnetic needle gets deflected towards east. (as in figure below)
 Magnetic field due to current in a straight wire:
 A current passing through a wire induces a magnetic field. This magnetic
field, which depends on the amount of current passing through the wire,
exerts a magnetic force that deflects the needle of the compass.
 The direction of the field depends on the direction of current, that is, if
the direction of current is reversed, the direction of the magnetic field
also gets reversed. Such an interrelation between current and magnetism
was first observed by the Danish physicist Hans Christian Oersted.
 The compass needle gets deflected in different directions when it is
moved around the wire. The direction in which the north pole of the
magnet deflects is the direction of the field at that point.
 On tracing the deflection of the needle at different points, it becomes
clear that the magnetic field lines which indicate the direction of the
magnetic field form concentric circles with the wire passing through the
centre. [The magnetic field lines due to a straight current carrying
conductor are concentric circles whose centers lie on the wire].
 Similarly, iron filings sprinkled around a current-carrying wire undergo
rearrangement in the form of concentric circles around the wire. The
circular shape of the field lines indicates that the magnetic field lines are
closed and curved.
 Experiment using compass:

 Experiment using iron filings:

  Factors on which the magnitude of magnetic field due to straight
current carrying conductor depends:

The magnitude of magnetic field produced is:

a) Directly proportional to the current passing in the wire: If the
magnitude of the magnetic field produced at a given pointincreases as the
current through the wire increases.
b) Inversely proportional to the distance of that point from the wire:
The magnetic field produced by a given current in the conductor decreases
as the distance from it increases. The concentric circles representing the
magnetic field around a current-carrying straight wire become larger and
larger as we move away from it.

Figure 13.6
(a) A pattern of concentric circles indicating the field lines of a magnetic field around a
straight conducting wire. The arrows in the circles show the direction of the field lines.
(b) A close up of the pattern obtained.
 Right hand thumb rule:

 If a current carrying straight conductor is held in your right hand

such that the thumb points towards the direction of current, then
the wrapped fingers show the direction of magnetic field lines.
 This rule is also called Maxwell’s corkscrew rule. If we consider
ourselves driving a corkscrew in the direction of the current, then
the direction of the rotation of corkscrew is the direction of the
magnetic field.
 Magnetic field due to current in a circular loop:

 When current is passed through a circular conductor (loop) the magnetic

field produced is in the form of concentric circles around the conductor.
Towards the centre the arcs of the circles become larger and appears as
straight line. The direction of magnetic field inside the loop is same.

 Consider a wire that passes through two holes in a sheet of paper, namely A
and B. The direction of the magnetic field lines at these two points can be
obtained by using the right-hand thumb rule. The magnetic field around
point A is in the anti-clock-wise direction because the current at this point is
moving upwards. Similarly, the magnetic field around point B is in the
clockwise direction because the current is moving downwards.
Thus, the magnetic fields around point A and B are in the
shape of concentric circles that become almost parallel to each other near the
centre of the loop.

 Similar to A and B, there exist an infinite number of points on the wire each
of which generates a magnetic field in the same direction. Thus, a circular
loop generates a stronger magnetic field than a straight wire.
 The magnetic field produced by a current-carrying straight wire depends
inversely on the distance from it. Similarly at every point of a current-
carrying circular loop, the concentric circles representing the magnetic field
around it would become larger and larger as we move away from the wire.
 By the time we reach at the centre of the circular loop, the arcs of these big
circles would appear as straight lines. Every point on the wire carrying
current would give rise to the magnetic field appearing as straight lines at the
center of the loop. By applying the right hand rule, it is easy to check that
every section of the wire contributes to the magnetic field lines in the same
direction within the loop.
  Magnetic field lines due to a current through a circular loop:

-The strength of the magnetic field at the center of the loop(coil)depends on:
(i) The radius of the coil- The strength of the magnetic field is inversely
proportional to the radius of the coil. If the radius increases, the magnetic strength
at the center decreases.
(ii) The number of turns in the coil: As the number of turns in the coil
increases, the magnetic strength at the center increases, because the current in each
circular turn is having the same direction, thus the field due to each turn adds up.
(iii) The strength of the current flowing in the coil: as the strength of the
current increases, the strength of the magnetic fields also increases.

 The magnetic field produced by a current-carrying wire at a given point

depends directly on the current passing through it. Therefore, if there is a
circular coil having n turns, the field produced is n times as large as that
produced by a single turn. This is because the current in each circular turn
has the same direction, and the field due to each turn then just adds up.

 How can the strength of a magnetic field be increased?

Magnetic field is additive in nature i.e., magnetic field of one loop
adds up to magnetic field to another loop. This is because the current in each
circular turn has same direction.
Therefore, the strength of magnetic field produced by a current carrying
circular coil can be increased by:
(a) Increasing the number of turns of the coil.
(b) Increasing the current flowing through the coil.
 Magnetic field due to a current in a solenoid:

 A coil of many circular turns of a conducting wire wrapped closely in

the shape of a cylinder is known as a solenoid.
 If we apply the right-hand thumb rule, we can see that the magnetic
field lines inside the solenoid are directed along its axis. If we
compare the magnetic field of a solenoid with that of a bar magnet, we
can see that they are very similar, indicating that a solenoid behaves
like a bar magnet whose magnetic field can be switched off or even
reversed (by reversing the direction of current in the circuit).
 The end of the solenoid having clockwise current will act as south
while on the other hand having anti-clockwise current will act as north
pole. Thus, a solenoid acts as a normal magnet.
 Direction of magnetic field
(i) Outside the solenoid : North to South
(ii) Inside the solenoid : South to North
 The magnetic field lines inside a solenoid are nearly straight, parallel,
and closely spaced to each other indicating that the field is strong and
uniform.

 The strength of the magnetic field inside a solenoid depends on:

1. The number of turns in the solenoid : Larger the number of turns in
the solenoid greater the magnetism
2. The strength of current in the solenoid: Larger the magnitude of
current passing through the solenoid greater the strength of magnetic
field.
3. The nature of core material used in making solenoid: The use of
soft iron core inside the solenoid produces stronger magnetic field.
 Electromagnet:

 A strong magnetic field produced inside a solenoid can be used to

magnetise a piece of magnetic material, like soft iron, when placed
inside the coil. The magnet so formed is called an electromagnet.
 OR : A device consisting of a coil of insulated wire wrapped around
an iron core that becomes magnetized when an electric current flows
through the wire.

 Uses of electromagnets :
In magnetic locks, relays, magnetic levitation, electric bells,
loudspeakers etc.

 Factors affecting strength of electromagnet:

1. The number of turns in the coil: As the number of turns increases strength
of electromagnet increases.
2. The current flowing in the coil : Strength of electromagnet increases when
current increases.
3. The length of air gap between the poles.If we reduce the length of air gap
then strength of electromagnet increases.
 Permanent magnets:

They are made of carbon steel, chromium steel, tungsten steel and
some alloys like Alnico and Nipermag. Alnico is an alloy of aluminium,
nickel and cobalt. Nipermag is an alloy of iron that contains nickel,
aluminium and titanium.

 Difference between Permanent (Bar) Magnet and Electromagnet:

Permanent (Bar) Magnet Electromagnet

They are permanently magnetized. These are temporarily magnetized.

These are usually made of hard They are usually made of soft
materials. materials.

The strength of the magnetic field The strength of the magnetic field
line is constant i.e. it cannot be lines can be varied according to our
varied. need.

The poles of a Permanent magnet The poles of an electromagnet can be

cannot be changed. altered.

Example of a permanent magnet is a Example of a temporary magnet is

Bar Magnet. solenoid wounded across a nail and
connected to a battery.