5.2 The Biot-Savart Law 5.2.1 Steady Currents 5.2.

2 The Magnetic Field of a Steady Current

Stationary charges produce electric fields that are constant The Biot-Sarvart law:
in time. Steady currents produce magnetic fields that are µ0 I × rˆ µ I dl ′ × rˆ
also constant in time. B(r ) = ∫
4π r 2
dl ′ = 0 ∫
4π r2
Stationary charges ⇒ constant electric fields; electrostatics. The integration is along the current
Steady currents ⇒ constant magnetic fields; magnetostatics. path, in the direction of the flow.
µ0: the permeability of free space.
Steady current means that a continuous flow that goes on Definition of magnetic field B: newtons per ampere-meter
forever without change and without charge piling up
anywhere. They represent suitable approximations as long
or tesla (T). 1 T=1 N/(A⋅m)
as the fluctuations are reasonably slow.
The Biot-Sarvart law plays a role analogous to Coulomb’s
∇⋅J = 0 law in electrostatics.
21 22

π
Con't
Example 5.5 Find the magnetic field a distance s from a long µ I dl′ × rˆ µ I 2
cos 2 θ s
B(r ) = 0 ∫ 2 = 0 ∫π cos θ dθ
straight wire carrying a steady current I. 4π r 4π s 2 cos 2 θ
−
2
π
µ0 I µI I
= sin θ 2π = 0 (= 2 ×10−7 Tesla)
4π s −
2 2π s s

What is the force between two parallel current-carrying wires?

Sol :
µ0 I × rˆ µ I dl′ × rˆ dF = Idl × B
B(r ) = ∫
4π r 2
dl ′ = 0 ∫
4π r2 µI µII
Then, determine the suitable coordinate : cylindrical coordinate ( s, φ , z ). dF = I 2 0 1 dl = 0 1 2 dl
2π d 2π d
In the diagram, (dl′ × rˆ ) points out of page and have the magnitude dF µ0 I1 I 2
=
dl ′ sin α = dl ′ cos θ dl 2π d
1 cos θ
l ′ = s tan θ ⇒ dl ′ = s sec 2 θdθ and =
r s 23 (attractive force per unit length, why?) 24
Example 5.6 Find the magnetic field a The Bio-Sarvart Law
distance z above the center of a circular for the Surface and Volume Current
loop of radius R, which carries a steady
µ I × rˆ µ I dl ′ × rˆ
current I. The Biot-Sarvart law: B(r ) = 0 ∫ 2 dl ′ = 0 ∫
4π r 4π r2

µ0 I dl′ × rˆ µ0 K × rˆ
4π ∫ r 2
B(r ) = da ′
4π ∫ r 2
Sol : B(r ) = For surface current:

Choose cylindrical coordinate (s, φ , z ). µ0 J × rˆ

4π ∫ r 2
For volume current: B(r ) = dτ ′
In the diagram, (dl′ × rˆ ) sweeps around the z axis,
thus only the z -component survives. For a moving charge: Wrong, why?
z -component of (dl′ × rˆ ) = dl ′ cos θ = R cos θ dφ µ0 J × rˆ µ0 qvδ (r − r′) × rˆ µ0 qv × rˆ
4π ∫ r 4π ∫
B(r ) = dτ ′ = dτ ′ =
1 1 R 2
r 2
4π r 2
= 2 2 and sin θ = 2 2 1/ 2
r 2
(R + z ) (R + z ) A point charge does not constitute a steady current.
25 26

The Magnetic Field of Solenoid Solenoid

Problem 5.11 A solenoid of length L
and radius a has N turns of wire and
carries a current I. Find the field
strength at a point along the axis.

Solution:
Sine the solenoid is a series of closely
packed loops, we may divided into current
loops of width dz, each of which contains
ndz turns, where n =N/L is the number of
turns per unit length.
The current within such a loop is (ndz)I.

27 28
 Solenoid (II)
Con’t Homework #9
z = a tan θ ⇒ dz = a sec θ dθ 2

nIdz = nIa sec 2 θ dθ

Problems: 9, 10, 11, 39, 49
µ0 a 2
dBaxis = nIa sec dθ
2

2(a 2 + a tan 2 θ )3/ 2

1
= µ0 nI cos θ dθ
2
θ2 1
B=∫ µ nI cos θ dθ
θ1 2 0

1
= µ0 nI (sin θ 2 − sin θ1 )
2
B = µ 0 nI (infinite long solenoid)
29 30

5.3 The Divergence and Curl of B The Differential Form of B

5.3.1 Straight-Line Currents
The magnetic field of an infinite straight wire: Suppose we have a bundle of straight wires. Only wires
that pass through the loop contribute µ0I.
The line integration then be
µ0 I ∫ B(r) ⋅ dl = µ I I enc = ∫ J ⋅ da
B(r ) = φˆ 0 enc
2πs
The total current enclosed
by the integration loop.
The integral of B around a circular path of radius s, centered
at the wire, is:
µI
∫ B ⋅ dl = ∫ (∇ × B) ⋅ da = ∫ µ J ⋅ da
0

∇ × B = µ0 J
∫ B(r) ⋅ dl = ∫ 2π0 s φˆ ⋅ φˆ sdφ = µ0 I
In fact for any loop that encloses the wire would give the Does this differential equation apply to any shape of the
same answer. Really? current loop? Yes, to be prove next.
31 32
 5.3.2 The Divergence and Curl of B The Divergence of B

The divergence of B:
The Biot-Sarvart Law for the
µ0 J (r′) × rˆ µ J (r′) × rˆ
general case of a volume
current:
∇ ⋅ B(r ) = ∇ ⋅ (
4π ∫ r 2
dτ ′) = 0 ∫ ∇ ⋅ (
4π r2
)dτ ′
J (r′) × rˆ rˆ rˆ
∇⋅( 2
) = 2 ⋅ (∇ × J ) − J ⋅ (∇ × 2 )
r r r
µ0 J (r′) × rˆ
4π ∫ r 2
B(r ) = dτ ′ ∇ ⋅ ( A × B) = B ⋅ (∇ × A) − A ⋅ (∇ × B)
rˆ 1
2
= −∇( ) (Prob. 1.13)
r r
0 0
J (r′) × rˆ rˆ rˆ
The integration is over the primed coordinates. ∇⋅( 2
) = 2 ⋅ (∇ × J ) − J ⋅ (∇ × 2 )
r r r
The divergence and the curl are to be taken with ∴ ∇ ⋅ B = 0 The divergence of a magnetic field is zero.
respective to the unprimed coordinates.
33 34

The Curl of B A Special Technique

The curl of B:
rˆ Let’s prove that this
µ
∇×B = 0 ∫∇×(
J (r′) × rˆ
)dτ ′
∫ ( J ⋅ ∇) r 2
dτ ′ = 0
integration is zero.
4π 0 r2 0 rˆ rˆ
∇ × ( A × B) = (B ⋅ ∇) A − ( A ⋅ ∇)B + A(∇ ⋅ B) − B(∇ ⋅ A) ( J ⋅ ∇)2
= −(J ⋅ ∇ ′) 2 ,
special technique r r
where r = (r − r ′)
primed
unprimed primed +unprimed ∇ ⋅ ( fA) = ∇f ⋅ A + f (∇ ⋅ A)
0 to be seen next
J (r′) × rˆ rˆ rˆ
∇×( 2
) = J (∇ ⋅ 2 ) − (J ⋅ ∇) 2 ) Using the above rule, the x component is:
r r r
J (r ′) × rˆ rˆ x-x′ x-x′
0, for steady current
x-x′
∇×( 2
) = J (∇ ⋅ 2 ) = J 4πδ 3 (r ) (See 1.5.3) (J ⋅ ∇′) = ∇ ′ ⋅ ( J ) − (∇′ ⋅ J )
r r r3 r3 r3 0, since J(r’@∞)=0
µ0
∴∇ × B = 4π ∫ J (r ′)δ 3 (r )dτ ′ = µ0 J (r ) rˆ x − x′ x − x′
4π ∫ (J ⋅∇) r x2 dτ ′ = ∫ ∇′ ⋅ ( r 3 J)dτ ′ = ∫S ( r 3 J) ⋅ da′ = 0
∇ × B = µ0 J The curl of B equals µ0 times J.
35 What happens if J(r’)≠0 36
 5.3.3 Applications of Ampere’s Law Applications of Ampere’s Law
∇ × B = µ0 J Ampere's law in differential form Like Gauss’s law, ampere’s law is always true (for steady
currents), but is not always useful.
∫ (∇ × B) ⋅ da = ∫ B × dl = ∫ µ J ⋅ da = µ I
amperian loop
0 0 enc
Only when the symmetry of the problem enables you
to pull B outside the integral can you calculate the
∫ B × dl = µ I
amperian loop
0 enc Ampere's law in integral form
magnetic field from the Ampere’s law.
These symmetries are:
Just as the Biot-Savart law plays a role in magnetostatics
that coulomb’s law assumed in electrostatics, so 1. Infinite straight lines
Ampere’s play the role of Gauss’s. 2. Infinite planes (Ex. 5.8)

Electrostatics: Coulomb Æ Gauss, 3. Infinite solenoids (Ex. 5.9)

Magnetostatics: Biot-Savart Æ Ampere. 4. Toroids (Ex. 5.10)

37 38

Infinite Straight Wire Infinite Planes

Example An infinite straight wire of radius R carries a current I. Example 5.8 Find the magnetic field
Find the magnetic field at a distance r from the center of the of an infinite uniform surface
wire for (a) r>R, and (b) r<R. Assume that the current is current K = Kxˆ , flowing over the xy
uniformly distributed across the cross section of the wire. plane.
Solution:
Solution:
(a)
∫B⋅d = B 2πr = µ 0 I
µ 0I
B= (r > R ) ∫B⋅d = B 2l = µ 0 Kl
2πr µ K / 2yˆ for z < 0
µ 0K B= 0
(b) πr 2 B=  − µ 0K / 2yˆ for z > 0
∫ B ⋅ d = B 2πr = µ0 πR 2
I 2

µ 0I
B= r (r < R )
2πR 2
39 40