Torque on Current Loop

Consider

rectangular current loop

Forces in left, right branches = 0

Forces in top/bottom branches cancel
No net force! (true for any shape)

But

there is a net torque!

Bottom side up, top side down (RHR)

Rotates around horizontal axis

= Fd = ( iBa ) b = iBab = iBA

a
Plane normal is B here

= NiA magnetic moment (N turns)

True for any shape!!
Direction of given by RHR

PHY2054: Chapter 19

21

General Treatment of Magnetic Moment, Torque

= NiA is magnetic moment (with N turns)

Direction

Torque

of given by RHR

depends on angle between and B

= B sin
PHY2054: Chapter 19

22

Torque Example
A

3-turn circular loop of radius 3 cm carries 5A current in

a B field of 2.5 T. Loop is tilted 30 to B field.
30

2
2
= 3i r = 3 5 3.14 ( 0.03 ) = 0.0339 A m
2

= B sin 30 = 0.0339 2.5 0.5 = 0.042 N m

Rotation

always in direction to align with B field

PHY2054: Chapter 19

23

Trajectory in a Constant Magnetic Field

A

charge q enters B field with velocity v perpendicular to

B. What path will q follow?
is always velocity and B
Path will be a circle. F is the centripetal force needed to keep the
charge in its circular orbit. Lets calculate radius R
Force

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
B
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x vx x
F
F
v

v
F

R
PHY2054: Chapter 19

24

Circular Motion of Positive Particle

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

B
F

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

mv
= qvB
R

mv
R=
qB
PHY2054: Chapter 19

25

Cosmic Ray Example

with energy 1 MeV move earth B field of 0.5
Gauss or B = 5 10-5 T. Find radius & frequency of orbit.

Protons

K=

1 mv 2
2

2K
v=
m

( )(

K = 106 1.6 1019 =1.6 1013 J

m = 1.67 1027 kg

R = 2900 m

mv
2mK
R=
=
eB
eB

1
v
v
eB
f = =
=
=
T 2 R 2 ( mv / eB ) 2 m

f = 760 Hz

Frequency is independent of v!
PHY2054: Chapter 19

26

Helical Motion in B Field

Velocity

of particle has 2 components

G G G
v = v& + v (parallel to B and perp. to B)
Only

v = v sin contributes to circular motion

v|| = v cos is unchanged
So

the particle moves in a helical path

v||

is the constant velocity along the B field

v is the velocity around the circle

v||
v

mv
R=
qB

PHY2054: Chapter 19

27

Helical Motion in Earths B Field

PHY2054: Chapter 19

28

Magnetic Field and Work

Magnetic

force is always perpendicular to velocity

Therefore

B field does Gno work! G

G
G
Why? Because K = F x = F ( v t ) = 0
Consequences
Kinetic

energy does not change

Speed does not change
Only direction changes
G
Particle moves in a circle (if v

G
B)

PHY2054: Chapter 19

29

Magnetic Force
Two

particles of the same charge enter a magnetic field

with the same speed. Which one has the bigger mass?
A
B
Both

masses are equal

Cannot tell without more info

x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x

mv
R=
qB

x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x x x

Bigger mass means

bigger radius
PHY2054: Chapter 19

30

Mass Spectrometer

PHY2054: Chapter 19

31

Mass Spectrometer Operation

ions first enter a velocity selector where E B
and values are adjusted to allow only undeflected particles
to enter mass spectrometer.

Positive

Balance

forces in selector select v

qE = qvB
v= E/B

Spectrometer:

Determine mass
from v and measured radius r

m1v
r1 =
qB
m2v
r2 =
qB
PHY2054: Chapter 19

32

Mass Spectrometer Example

A

beam of deuterons travels right at v = 5 x 105 m/s

What

value of B would make deuterons go undeflected through a

region where E = 100,000 V/m pointing up vertically?

eE = evB
B = E / v = 105 / 5 105 = 0.2T
If

the electric field is suddenly turned off, what is the radius and
frequency of the circular orbit of the deuterons?
2

mv
mv
= evB R =
=
R
eB

)( ) = 5.2 10
) ( 0.2)

3.34 1027 5 105

(1.6 10

19

v
1
5 105
f = =
=
= 1.5 106 Hz
T 2 R ( 6.28 ) 5.2 102

PHY2054: Chapter 19

33