Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
A loop of current sits in a magnetic field which points to the right. Current runs through the square loop as shown.
mag field B ------>
_______________________________
| <------ current |
| ________________________ |
| | | |
| | | ^ |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| v | | | |
| | | |
| |_______________________| |
| ---------> |
|_______________________________|
Question 1: What is the direction of the magnetic force on the top section of the loop?
Answer: zero, because the current runs anti-parallel to the magnetic field
Question 2: What is the direction of the magnetic force on the left section of the loop?
Answer: out of the screen
Question 3: What is the direction of the magnetic force on the bottom section of the loop?
Answer: zero, because the current runs parallel to the magnetic field
Question 4: What is the direction of the magnetic force on the right section of the loop?
Answer: into the screen
Question 5: What is the total force on the loop?
Answer: zero -- so it doesn't translate
Question 6: What happens if the loop is released?
Answer: it rotates, because it feels a net torque due to the equal
but opposite forces pushing on its opposite two legs
Copyright © Michael Richmond.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.