Ben Gurion University of the Negev

www.bgu.ac.il/atomchip

Physics
Physics 2B
2B for
for Materials
Materials and
and Structural
Structural Engineering
Engineering
Lecturer: Daniel Rohrlich
Teaching Assistants: Oren Rosenblatt, Shai Inbar
Week 6. The magnetic field and the Lorentz force Magnetic fields
magnetic force on a moving charge Lorentz force charges and
currents in a uniform B field torque on a current loop
Source: Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32.

Magnetic fields
A combination of bar magnets and iron filings matches the
pretty diagram shown on the right

Magnetic fields
A combination of bar magnets and iron filings matches the
pretty diagram shown on the right

Magnetic fields
Combinations of bar magnets and iron filings match these
pretty diagrams

Magnetic fields
Combinations of bar magnets and iron filings match these
pretty diagrams But these diagrams show to configurations
of the electric field E. Are there identical configurations of the
magnetic field B?

Magnetic fields
Yes, there are! Except for one big difference:

Magnetic fields
Yes, there are! Except for one big difference: There are no
magnetic charges no magnetic monopoles only magnetic
dipoles.

Magnetic fields
Yes, there are! Except for one big difference: There are no
magnetic charges no magnetic monopoles only magnetic
dipoles.
This difference is remarkable and even surprising, for at least
two reasons:
1. Magnetic monopoles would make electromagnetism more
symmetric electricity and magnetism would be dual.

Magnetic fields
Yes, there are! Except for one big difference: There are no
magnetic charges no magnetic monopoles only magnetic
dipoles.
This difference is remarkable and even surprising, for at least
two reasons:
1. Magnetic monopoles would make electromagnetism more
symmetric electricity and magnetism would be dual.
2. Theories that unify electromagnetism with the weak and
strong nuclear forces predict magnetic monopoles. But recent
searches for these magnetic monopoles have not found any.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

The relation between the electric field E and the electric force
FE on a point charge q is a simple one: FE = q E.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

The relation between the magnetic field B and the magnetic
force FB on a point charge q is more complicated: FB = q vB ,
where v is the velocity of the moving charge.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

The relation between the magnetic field B and the magnetic
force FB on a point charge q is more complicated: FB = q vB ,
where v is the velocity of the moving charge.
The force is proportional to q, including the sign of q.
The force is proportional to B.
The force is proportional to v.
When B and v are parallel, the force vanishes.
When B and v are not parallel, the force is perpendicular
to both of them, according to the right-hand rule:

Right-hand rule (for a positive charge q):

FB

The magnetic force on a moving charge

The relation between the magnetic field B and the magnetic
force FB on a point charge q is more complicated: FB = q vB ,
where v is the velocity of the moving charge.
The force is proportional to q, including the sign of q.
The force is proportional to B.
The force is proportional to v.
When B and v are parallel, the force vanishes.
When B and v are not parallel, the force is perpendicular
to both of them, according to the right-hand rule.
The force is proportional to the sine of the vB angle.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 1: How much work is done by the magnetic force FB
on the point charge q?

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 2: What are the units of the magnetic field B?

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 2: What are the units of the magnetic field B?
Answer: From the equation FB = q vB we infer that the units
of B are (force) / (charge meters per second); this unit is
known as the tesla (T):

N/C
N
T

.
m/s A m

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 3: The white arc in this picture is light showing a
beam of electrons in a uniform magnetic field. (The electrons
collide with a dilute gas of atoms, which then radiate light.)
Deduce the ratio e/m where m is the mass of the electron
from the radius r of the arc and the magnitudes B and v.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 3: The white arc in this picture is light showing a
beam of electrons in a uniform magnetic field. (The electrons
collide with a dilute gas of atoms, which then radiate light.)
Deduce the ratio e/m where m is the mass of the electron
from the radius r of the arc and the magnitudes B and v.
Answer: To move at speed v in a circular orbit of radius r, an
electron must accelerate towards the center of the circle with
acceleration a = v2/r. This acceleration must equal the force FB
on the electron divided by its mass m, hence a = FB/m = evB/m
and we have v2/r = evB/m, therefore e/m = v/Br.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 4: We have just seen that a point charge in a constant
magnetic field moves in a circle. (More generally, it can move
in a helix.) What is the angular frequency of its motion?

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 4: We have just seen that a point charge in a constant
magnetic field moves in a circle. (More generally, it can move
in a helix.) What is the angular frequency of its motion?
Answer: The angular frequency is = v/r and we already
obtained v2/r = qvB/m (for a particle of charge q and mass m);
hence = qB/m. It is called the cyclotron frequency and it is
independent of r and v. A cyclotron exploits this independence
to accelerate many charged particles with different kinetic
energies at the same time, via an electric field alternating with
angular frequency . The kinetic energy of a particle increases
in the electric field, as do v and r, but is unchanged.

The magnetic force on a moving charge

A cyclotron exploits this independence to accelerate many
charged particles with different kinetic energies at the same
time, via an electric field alternating with angular frequency .
The kinetic energy of a particle increases in the electric field,
as do v and r, but is unchanged.
Slow particles in

AC current

D1
D2
B

Fast particles out

bottom of magnet

The magnetic force on a moving charge

Example 5: Confinement of a charged particle in a magnetic
bottle:
Path of charged particle

The magnetic field cannot change the speed of the charged

particle, but can change its direction.

The Lorentz force

We can combine FB and FE into the Lorentz force FEM , which is
the total electromagnetic force on a point charge q:

FEM = q ( E + v B )

The Lorentz force

Example 1 (Hall effect): In 1879, E. Hall discovered that a
magnetic field B normal to this conducting bar induces a
potential VH = vdrift Bd that is perpendicular to the current and
to B. Why?
z

FB
d

VH

vd

rift

FB
+

vd

rift

I
x

The Lorentz force

The magnetic field deflects electrons up, where they collect
and produce an upward electric field E = E z . The electron
density there levels off when vdrift B = E. Since E = VH/d, the
Hall potential is VH = vdrift Bd. The direction of VH shows
that the charge carriers are indeed negatively charged.
t
z
y
I

FB
d

VH

vd

rift

FB
+

vd

rift

I
x

The Lorentz force

From Slide 33 of Lecture 5 we have vdrift = I/neA. Here A = td,
so vdrift = I/netd and VH = vdrift Bd = IB/net and n = IB/et VH .
Thus we can infer n from measurements of I, B, e, t and VH.
z

FB
d

VH

vd

rift

FB
+

vd

rift

I
x

The Lorentz force

Example 2: Crossed electric and magnetic fields can serve as a
velocity selector. We have just seen, in the Hall effect, that the
electric and magnetic forces on a point charge balance when
the charge moves at the speed v such that E = vB. Only at this
speed will charges move straight; at other speeds, the Lorentz
force will deflect them.
B
Source
E

Slit

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, MC 3:

An electron is released at rest in a region of crossed uniform
electric and magnetic fields. Which path best represents its
motion after its release?
(e)

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

. .
.(a).
. .
. .
. .

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

. .
. .
..
. .
. .

.
.
.
.
.

(b)

. (d). .
. . .
. . .
. .(c).
. . .

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.

.
B
.
.
.
E
.

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Current in a wire is the motion of charges. Thus the magnetic
force on a current-carrying wire is due to magnetic forces on
all the charges in the wire.

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Current in a wire is the motion of charges. Thus the magnetic
force on a current-carrying wire is due to magnetic forces on
all the charges in the wire.
Convention:

B
I=0

B into page

B
I

B out of page

B
I

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Lets consider an arbitrarily short element s of a currentcarrying wire with cross-sectional area A. Its volume is (A)
(s), so it contains n (A)(s) conduction electrons moving at
average velocity vdrift. Hence the magnetic force dFB on the
wire element is dFB = evdrift nA (s) B, which we can write as
dFB = I s B since I = evdrift nA.

The force FB on the whole wire is then an integral:

FB d FB I ds B .

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

The formula for the force FB on the whole wire is especially
simple when B is uniform (constant over space) because then
we can take B out of the integral:

FB dFB I ds B I
We consider two cases:

ds B

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

The formula for the force FB on the whole wire is especially
simple when B is uniform (constant over space) because then
we can take B out of the integral:

FB dFB I ds B I
We consider two cases:

ds

ds B

I
B

B
'L
I

ds

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

If the integral is open, then it is just a vector sum over line
elements and equals the vector L' connecting the initial and
final points. Then FB = I L' B.

ds

B
'L
I

ds

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

If the integral is open, then it is just a vector sum over line
elements and equals the vector L' connecting the initial and
final points. Then FB = I L' B.
If the integral is closed, then L' vanishes and so does FB !
I

ds

B
'L
I

ds

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

If the integral is open, then it is just a vector sum over line
elements and equals the vector L' connecting the initial and
final points. Then FB = I L' B.
If the integral is closed, then L' vanishes and so does FB !
I
In a uniform magnetic
B
ds
field, the net magnetic
'L
force on any closed
current loop is zero.I

ds

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Example 1: Rank the magnitude of the magnetic force on
these four wires. (B and I are identical.)

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Example 2: A magnetic field can levitate a current-carrying
wire. If L is the length of the wire, I is the current in the wire
and m is its mass, what should be the strength B of the
magnetic field (if we neglect all other forces)?
FB

mg

Charges and currents in a uniform B field

Example 2: A magnetic field can levitate a current-carrying
wire. If L is the length of the wire, I is the current in the wire
and m is its mass, what should be the strength B of the
magnetic field (if we neglect all other forces)?
Answer: mg = ILB, so B = mg/IL.

FB

mg

Torque on a current loop

A uniform magnetic field does not exert a force on a closed
current loop, but it can exert a net torque!
Here is a top view of a
rectangular current loop
lying in the plane of B.
Sides 1 and 3 do not
contribute; Sides 2 and
4 each contribute (IaB)
(b/2) to the torque , so
= IBab = IBA, where
A = ab is the area of the
rectangle.

I
B

3
b

Torque on a current loop

A uniform magnetic field does not exert a force on a closed
current loop, but it can exert a net torque!
Here is a side view of the
current loop, still lying in
the plane of B.
The torque is = IBab
but only for the instant
that the current loop is
parallel to B.

IBa
b/2
2

B
IBa

Torque on a current loop

A uniform magnetic field does not exert a force on a closed
current loop, but it can exert a net torque!
Here is a side view of the
current loop, now making
an angle 90 with the
plane of B. The torque now
is = IBa[b cos (90 )]
= IBa[b sin ] = IBA sin .

IBa

B
4

IBa

Torque on a current loop

A uniform magnetic field does not exert a force on a closed
current loop, but it can exert a net torque!
Here is a side view of the
current loop, now making
an angle 90 with the
plane of B. The torque now
is = IBa[b cos (90 )]
= IBa[b sin ] = IBA sin .
There are now also forces
on 1 and 3 but they do
not contribute to the torque.

IBa

B
4

IBa

Torque on a current loop

Whenever 2 moves to the right of 4 , the torque switches
direction. The area vector A always tends to line up with B.
Defining the magnetic
dipole moment of the
current loop to be = IA,
we can write = B.

IBa
A
2

B
4

IBa

Torque on a current loop

Whenever 2 moves to the right of 4 , the torque switches
direction. The area vector A always tends to line up with B.
If we integrate d' starting
from ' = 0, we get the work
due to the magnetic torque:

WB d '

IBa
A
2

IBA sin ' d '

IBA cos B ,
so the potential energy U of a magnetic
dipole in a field B is U = B.

B
4

IBa

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, Prob. 10:
In Bohrs model of the hydrogen atom, the electron moves in a
circle of radius r around the proton. Suppose the atom, with
the proton at rest, is placed in a magnetic field B perpendicular
to the plane of the electron motion. (a) If the electron moves
counterclockwise around B (seen from above), will its angular
frequency increase or decrease? (b) What if the electron
moves clockwise?

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, Prob. 10:
Answer: (a) For a circular orbit, the centripetal force must
equal ma = m(v2/r) = m2r. The magnetic force on the
electron increases the centripetal force, so m2r must increase.
But the angular momentum mr2 cannot change (because the
forces are centripetal). Writing m2r as

m 2 r 3 / 2 m1 / 2 mr 2 ,
we see that must increase.
B

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, Prob. 10:
Answer: (b) For a circular orbit, the centripetal force must
equal ma = m(v2/r) = m2r. The magnetic force on the
electron decreases the centripetal force, so m2r must
decrease. But the angular momentum mr2 cannot change
(because the forces are centripetal). Writing m2r as

m 2 r 3 / 2 m1 / 2 mr 2 ,
we see that must decrease.
B

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, Prob. 15:
A staple-shaped wire of mass m and width L sits in a uniform
magnetic field B, with its two ends in two beakers of mercury.
A pulse of charge q passing through the wire causes the wire
to jump to a height h. Given B = 0.12 T, m = 13 g, L = 20 cm
and h = 3.1 m, calculate q.

Halliday, Resnick and Krane, 5th Edition, Chap. 32, Prob. 15:
Answer: The magnetic force FB(t) on the wire equals I(t)LB.
The wire acquires momentum p = FB(t) dt = I(t)LB dt = qLB
and kinetic energy p2/2m = mgh; solving for q, we obtain

m
q
2 gh 4.2 C .
LB