17.2 Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor in a Magnetic Field
A magnetic field exerts a force on a current-carrying conductor placed within it. This happens because the current in the wire produces its own magnetic field, which interacts with the external magnetic field.
Michael Faraday found that this force is always at right angles to both the direction of the magnetic field and the direction of the current. The magnitude of the force is given by:
F = I L B sin θ
where:
- F = force on the conductor
- I = current
- L = length of conductor in the field
- B = magnetic field strength
- θ = angle between the conductor and the magnetic field
The force becomes stronger if:
- The current in the wire increases.
- The magnetic field becomes stronger.
- The length of the wire inside the magnetic field increases.