Magnetic effect of electric current

When electric current flows through a conductor a magnetic field is

produced in the region surrounding the conductor. This effect is called
magnetic effect of electric current.
Oersted discovered the magnetic effect of electric current. Magnetic
field is a vector quantity. The direction of the magnetic field is given by
right hand thumb rule.
Right hand clasp rule:
If the straight conductor carrying current is held in the right and with
the thumb pointing in the direction of current, then the direction in
which other fingers encircle the conductor gives the direction of the
magnetic field.
Biot-Savart law or Laplace law:
The magnitude of the magnetic field is calculated by Laplace law.
According to the law, consider a small portion ‘dl’ of a conductor AB.
When current ‘I’ flow through the element ‘dl’ then there exists a
magnetic field ‘dB’ in a region surrounding the conductor. The
magnetic field at ‘P’ is

D
dl q
dB
C
r
I
P

1. Directly proportional to the strength of the current

dB α I
2. Directly proportional to the length of the element
dB α dl
3. Directly proportional to the sine of the angle ‘θ’ between the
current element and the line joining the point and the element ‘dl’
dB α sin θ.
4. Inversely proportional to the square of the distance ‘r’.
1
dB
r2
μ I dl sinθ
dB = 0
4π r2

1
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 →

→
μ0 I dl × r

→
dB =
4π r 3
𝝁0 is called permeability of free space and 0  4  107
0
= 10- 7
4
Unit of µ0 is Henries per meter or N-A-2.

Expression for magnetic field at a point along the axis of a circular

coil carrying current:
Consider a circular coil of radius ‘r’ m. Let us consider a point p at a
distance x from the centre of the coil and along the axis of the coil as
shown in the fig.
Consider two identical elements AB and A’B’.

dB cos
dB
C
A B
dl
a 

r
dB sin

P dB sin
O x 
I


dl dB
A' C' B'
dB cos

dB cos α of AB cancels with dB cos α of A’B’. Their axial components

will be in the same direction get added up.
Therefore, resultant magnetic field at P is

dBR = 2 dB sin - - - - - - - 1
From Laplace law,
0 Idl sin q
dB =
4 r2
from fig, I = I, dl = dl, r = a, q = 90.
0 Idl sin 90
 dB =
4 a2
 Idl
 dB  0 2      2
4 a

2
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 sub eqn 2 in eqn 1 we get,
  Idl 
 dB = 2  0 2  sin
R
 4 a 
To find the total magnetic field take summation
 0 Idl 
 dB =  2  4
R
a 2 
sin

0 2I
B sin   dl
4 a2
 2I
B 0 sin   r 
4 a2
 circumference 2 r 
  dl  2

2
  r

 2 Ir
B 0 sin 
4 a 2
r
from fig from  lePCO sin 
a
 2 Ir  r 
B  0  
4 a 2  a 
0 2 Ir 2
B 
4 a 3
from  le PCO
a2  r 2  x2

a   r 2  x2 
1
2
sub in the above eqn we get
0 2 Ir 2
B
4 r 2  x 2 3 2
 
for N turns

0 2 NIr 2
B
4 r 2  x 2 3 2
 
Magnetic field at the centre of the circular coil carrying current:
When point P is at the centre of the circle then
x=0
sub in the above eqn we get
0 2 NIr 2
B
4 r 2  x 2 3 2
 

3
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 0 2 NIr 2
B
4 r 2 3 2
 
0 2 NIr 2
B
4 r 3
0 NI
B
2r

Direction of the magnetic field:

1. Clockwise:
When the current in the coil is clockwise then the magnetic field is
perpendicular to the plane of the coil and it is away from the observer
facing the coil.
2. Anticlockwise:
When current flowing through a circular coil is anticlockwise then the
magnetic field is perpendicular to the plane of the coil and it is towards
to observer facing the coil.
B B
I I

Clock-wise antiClock-wise

B
Note:
Magnetic field at the centre of the coil is maximum and
field decreases as the distance from the centre of the x O x

coil increases.
Ampere circuital law:
The line integral of magnetic field B around any closed path in air is
equal to 𝝁0 times the total current enclosed by the loop.
 

 B. dl  0 I
 
Where  B. dl = line integral of magnetic field B around
the closed path.
I = total current enclosed by the Amperian loop.

4
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 Expression for magnetic field at a point due to a straight
conductor carrying current:
Consider a long straight conductor carrying current I in the direction
shown in the fig. magnetic field at P due to the long conductor is
 

 B. dl   I - - - - - - - 1
0

Consider LHS
   

 B dl cos q   B dl cos 0  cos 0  1

I
dl
B

B  dl  B 2 r      2   dl  2 r  r dl
P

total current in the loop is

ITotal = I          3
sub 2 and 3 in1we get,
B  2 r   0 I

μ0 I
B=
2πr

Expression for magnetic field at the centre of an ideal solenoid:

Solenoid is a device used to produce magnetic field. It consists of an
insulated copper wire wound closely in the form of a helix.

Ideal solenoid:
If the length of the solenoid is five times greater than the radius then the
solenoid is called ideal solenoid.
Consider a long air core solenoid having closely packed coils as shown
in fig.
Let I = current through the solenoid
n=Number of turns per unit length.
B= magnitude of the magnetic field inside the solenoid.
 

 B. dl   I0 Total            1
Consider rectangular Amperian loop PQRS. let PQ=l. the line integral of
B over the closed path PQRS is given by
Consider LHS

5
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 S R

P Q
B

 

 B. dl  
PQRS
Bdl cos q

Q R S P


PQRS
Bdl cos q   Bdl cos 0   Bdl cos 90   B( B  0)dlcos180   Bdl cos 90
P Q R S
Q Q


PQRS
Bdl cos q   Bdl  B  dl  Bl          2
P P

To find the total current

Let n= number of turns per unit length,
ITotal  Number of turns per unit length  length of the solenoid  I
ITotal  n  l  I- - - - - -3

Sub 2 and 3 in 1 we get,

 

 B. dl   I 0 Total

Bl  0  nlI 

B  0 nI

6
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533
 7
T.SRINATH PRABHU PH:9110240533