Chapter 3

FORCE BETWEEN TWO CURRENT

CARRYING CONDUCTORS

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 1

From the equation for the magnetic field of a moving charged
particle, it is “easy” to show that a current I in a little length dl
of wire gives rise to a little bit of magnetic field.

r 
 μ I d  rˆ
dB dB = 0
4π r 2

r̂ I The Biot-Savart Law

dl


You may see the equation written using r = r rˆ .
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 2
Applying the Biot-Savart Law

 μ I ds  rˆ 
r
dB  dB = 0 where ˆ
r =
4π r 2 r
r
 μ 0 I ds sin θ
dB =
r̂ 4π r2
ds  
B =  dB
I

Homework
Nov 4, 2021 Hint: if you have a tiny piece of aUpadhyay
Chetan wire, just calculate dB; no need to integrate.3
Example: calculate the magnetic field at point P due to a thin
straight wire of length L carrying a current I. (P is on the
perpendicular bisector of the wire at distance a.)

y  μ I ds  rˆ
P dB = 0
dB 4π r 2
r
a 
ds  rˆ = ds sinθ kˆ
r̂  x
 μ I ds sinθ
ds z dB = 0
I 4π r 2
x
L
ds is an infinitesimal quantity in the direction of dx, so
μ 0 I dx sinθ
dB =
4π r2
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 4
 a μ 0 I dx sinθ
sinθ = r = x 2 + a2 dB =
r 4π r2

y
P μ 0 I dx a μ 0 I dx a
dB dB = =
4π r 3
4π  x 2 + a2  3/2
r
a
r̂  x μ 0 I dx a
L/2
 B=
ds z
I
-L/2 4π
 x +a 
2 2 3/2

x
L μ 0I a L/2 dx
4π -L/2  x 2 + a2  3/2
B=

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 5

 μ 0I a L/2 dx
4π -L/2  x 2 + a2  3/2
y B=
P
dB
r
a look integral up in tables, use the
web,or use trig substitutions
r̂  x
 dx x
z
ds  =
x
I x 2
+a 
2 3/2
a  x +a
2 2

2 1/2

L
L/2

μ 0I a x
B=
4π a2  x 2 + a2  1/2
-L/2

 
μ 0I a  L/2 -L/2 
=   1/2 
   
1/2
4π a2  L/2  2 + a2 a2
 -L/2 
2
+ a2
Nov 4, 2021
 Chetan Upadhyay
 6
 y  
P μ 0I a  2L/2 
dB B=
4π  a2  L2 /4 + a2  
1/2
r  
a
r̂  x μ 0I L 1
 B=
ds z 4πa  L2 /4 + a2  1/2
I
x
μ 0I L 1
B=
2 πa L2 + 4a2

μ 0I 1
B=
2 πa 4a2
1+ 2
L
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 7
 y
P
dB
r μ 0I 1
a B=
2 πa 4a2
r̂  x 1+ 2
 L
ds z
I
x

μ 0I
When L, B = .
2 πa

μ 0I The r in this equation has a different

or B = meaning than the r in the diagram!
2 πr

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 8

 Example: Long Straight
Conductor
• What is the
magnetic field 4mm
0 I
from a long straight B
conducting wire 2r
carrying a 5 amp 4 10 7  5
current? 
2  4 10 3

4
 2.5 10 T
Magnetic Field of a Long Straight Wire

We’ve just derived the equation for the

magnetic field around a long, straight wire* I
μ0 I
B=
2 πr
B
with a direction given by a “new” right-hand
r
rule.

*Don’t use this equation unless you have a long, straight wire!

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 10

Looking “down” along the wire: B
I
The magnetic field is not
constant.

At a fixed distance r from the wire, the magnitude of the

magnetic field is constant.

The magnetic field direction is always tangent to the

imaginary circles drawn around the wire, and perpendicular
to the radius “connecting” the wire and the point where the
field is being calculated.

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 11

Magnetic Field of a Current-Carrying Wire

It is experimentally observed that parallel wires exert forces on

each other when current flows.

I1 I2 I1 I2

F12 F21 F12 F21

   

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 12

We showed that a long straight wire carrying a current
I gives rise to a magnetic field B at a distance r from I
the wire given by μ0 I
B=
2 πr B
r
The magnetic field of one wire exerts a force on a
nearby current-carrying wire.
The magnitude of the force depends on
d the two currents, the length of the wires,
I1 I2 and the distance between them.
L μ 0 I1 I2 L This is NOT a
F12 F21 F= starting equation
2πd
The wires are electrically neutral,
  so this is not a Coulomb force.
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 13
Example: use the expression for B due to a current-carrying
wire to calculate the force between two current-carrying wires.
   d
F12 = I1L1  B 2
I1 I2
ˆ μ 0 I2 ˆ L
B2 = k F12
2 πd
B2
 μ I
F12 = I1Ljˆ  0 2 kˆ y
2 πd L1 L2
 
 μ 0 I1I2L ˆ
F12 = i
2 πd x

F μ II
The force per unit length of wire is 12 = 0 1 2 ˆi.
L 2 πd
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 14
    d
F21 = I2L 2  B1
I1 I2
 μ 0 I1 ˆ L
B1 = - k F12 F21
2 πd
 B1

ˆ  μ 0 I1 ˆ 
F21 = I2Lj    k y
 2πd  L1 L2
 
 μ 0 I1I2L ˆ
F21 = - i
2πd x

F21 μ 0 I1I2 ˆ
The force per unit length of wire is =- i.
L 2πd
Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 15
If the currents in the wires are in the opposite direction, the
force is repulsive.

d
I1 I2
L
F12 F21

y
L1 L2
 

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 16

 μ 0 I1I2L
F12 = F21 =
2 πd d
I1 I2
4 π 10-7 I1I2L -7 L
F12 = F21 = = 2 10 I1I2 F12 F21
2πd d

The official definition of the Ampere: 1 A is

L1 L2
the current that produces a force of 2x10-7
N force per meter of length between two  
long parallel wires placed 1 meter apart in
empty space.

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 17

 Force between two parallel
current-carrying straight wires (1)

1. Parallel wires with current flowing in the

same direction, attract each other.
2. Parallel wires with current flowing in the
opposite direction, repel each other.
 Force between two parallel
current-carrying straight wires (2)

 o I1 I 2 
F
2a
• Note that the force exerted on I2 by I1 is equal
but opposite to the force exerted on I1 by I2.
 4 π 10-7 I1I2L L
Problem 1 F12 =F21 =
2πd
-7
= 2 10 I1I2
d

• Two parallel conductors of 20 mm

diameter each carrying 120 A in opposite
directions are separated by an air space of
60 mm. The conductors are 10 m long.
Find the force on each conductor.
F = 0.36 N

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 20

 4 π 10-7 I1I2L L
Problem 2 F12 =F21 =
2πd
-7
= 2 10 I1I2
d

• Force between two wires carrying

currents in opposite direction is 20.4 kg/m.
When they are placed parallel with their
axis 5 cm apart. Calculate the current in
one conductor when the current flowing
through the other conductor is 5 KA.
F = 20.4 x 9.81 d=0.05 m
= 200.124 N I1 = 5000 A

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 21

 Chapter 3

LIFTING POWER OF MAGNET

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 22

 A = area of cross section of N
each pole
P = force in Newton
between two poles S

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 23

 A = area of cross section of N
each pole
P = force in Newton
between two poles S

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 24

 A = area of cross section of each pole N
P = force in Newton between two
poles

N
Work done dx
= P . dx
Volume increased
= A . dx
S

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 25

 Energy in a
Magnetic Field
• Let the energy stored in the inductor at
any time be “E”.

• E = U = ½ L I2
 Energy stored in
a Magnetic Field
• Given E = U = ½ L I2, 
2
 2
1 B B
U  o n 2 A   A
2  o n  2o

• So, the energy stored per volume

U B2
uB  
V 2o
• This applies to any region in which a magnetic
field exists
– not just the solenoid
 Energy stored into air magnetic
field = B2 / 2µ0 joule / m3

P
So energy stored into air
magnetic field
= B2 {A . dx} / 2µ0 N
dx
Work done
= B2 {A .dx} / 2µ0 = P . dx
S
So, the lifting power of magnet
= B2 A/ 2µ0

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 28

Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 29
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Nov 4, 2021 Chetan Upadhyay 30