Semester II, 2015-16

Department of Physics, IIT Kanpur

PHY103A: Lecture # 18
(Text Book: Intro to Electrodynamics by Griffiths, 3rd Ed.)

Anand Kumar Jha

Notes
Problem solving session today 5-6 pm. TB-205, 206, 207
This will be the last session before mid-sem
Quiz # 1 will be returned during tutorial on Tuesday
Mid-sem: Feb 18, Thursday
Course coverage up to class on Friday (Feb 12)
2

Summary of Lecture # 17:

The magnetic field produced by a steady line current

0
r
=
2
4
r
The magnetic field produced by a surface current
0 ( ) r
=

4
r2

The magnetic field produced by a volume current

0 ( ) r
=

4
r2

The magnetic field due to a finite-size wire with curent

=

0
sin2 + sin1
4

The magnetic field above a loop with current

0
2
=
2 2 + 2 3/2
The Amperes Law
= 0

= 0 enc

Question/Clarification
Current

=
=

Surface Current
Density

This is per unit transverse length (not area)

Volume Current
Density

=
=

This is per unit transverse area (not volume)

4

The Divergence of
The magnetic field produced by a volume current
0 ( ) r
=

4
r2

+
r = +

Take the divergence of the above magnetic field (with

respect to the unprimed coordinates
0
r
=

4
r2

Using = ( )
0 r
=
2
4 r

= 0

0
r

2
4
r

= since does not depend on

r
This can be easily proved (Prob. 1.62 Griffiths, 3rd ed.)
r2 = .
The divergence of a magnetic field is zero.

The Curl of
The magnetic field produced by a volume current
0 ( ) r
=

4
r2

+
r = +

Take the curl of the above magnetic field (with respect to

the unprimed coordinates
0
r
=

4
r2

= + ( )

r
r
r

r2
r2
r2

r
r

r2
r2

= since does not depend on

r
= since does not depend on

2
r

0

4

r
0
r

r2
4
r2

The Curl of

0
0
r
r

=
2
2
4
r
4
r
r
2 = 4 3 (r)
r
0
r
= 0
2
4
r

r
r

r2
r2
=

r3

x +
y +
z
r3
r3
r3

r3
r3

= + ()

Magnetostatics implies steady current. So =

r3

=
= 0
3
r3
r

=0

For large enough integration

volume, all the currents are inside.
So = 0 at the surface.
7

The Curl of

0
0
r
r

=
2
2
4
r
4
r
r
2 = 4 3 (r)
r
0
r
= 0
2
4
r

=
= 0
3
3
r
r

So,

For large enough integration

volume, all the currents are inside.
So = 0 at the surface.

0
r

2 = 0
4
r
= 0

Amperes Law

Amperes Law
Ex. 5.9 (Griffiths, 3rd Ed. ): Calculate the magnetic
field of a very long solenoid. ( closely wound turns
per unit length, Radius , and a steady current .

Can there be magnetic field in the direction? No.

Can there be magnetic field in the direction? No.

Can there be magnetic field in the direction?

Lets check

For an Amperian loop outside

= 0 enc

= 0

0 = 0

But since = 0,

For an Amperian loop inside

= 0 enc

= 0

for ( > )

= 0 for ( < )

= B()

= B = B = 0

= 0

Magnetic field inside a solenoid is

uniform---analogous to capacitor which
produces uniform electric fields. 9

Amperes Law
Prob 5.15 (Griffiths, 3rd Ed. ): Two long coaxial solenoids.
Current flows in opposite directions. Number of turns are
1 (inner) and 2 (outer). Find magnetic field (i) inside the
inner solenoid, (ii) between the solenoids, and (iii) outside
both the solenoids.

Field due to a solenoid

= 0

for ( > )

= 0 for ( < )

Principle of linear superposition

(i) = 0 2 + 0 1 = 0 (2 1 )
(ii) = 0 2
(iii) = 0

10

Magnetostatics and Electrostatics

1
r
() =
2
40 r
Coulombs Law

elec = Q

Electric Force

=
0

Gausss Law

= 0

No Name

0 ( ) r
=

4
r2
Biot-Savart Law
mag = Q( )

Magnetic Force

= 0

Amperess Law

= 0

No Name

Maxwells equations
(Electrostatics)

Electric field
diverges away from
a positive charge
= 0

= V
Electric Potential (scalar)

Magnetic field curls

around a current.

= 0

Magnetic Vector Potential

11