A rigid conducting wire consists of two straight segments that meet at a right angle…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Moving Charges and Magnetism · Moving Charges and Magnetism
Problem
A rigid conducting wire consists of two straight segments that meet at a right angle at point A. Segment AB is 0.20 m long and directed due east. Segment AC is 0.30 m long and directed due north. The entire wire lies in the horizontal plane. A uniform vertical magnetic field of magnitude 0.60 T is directed upward. A current of 6.0 A is established in the wire, flowing from B to A to C.
(a) For each segment, determine the magnitude and compass-direction of the magnetic force exerted on that segment by the field.
(b) Determine the magnitude and direction of the net magnetic force on the entire wire.
(c) Calculate the magnitude of the torque about point A produced by the magnetic field acting on the wire and state whether the resulting rotation is clockwise or counter-clockwise when viewed from above.
(d) The bend at A is slowly opened so that the angle between the segments becomes greater than 90° while lengths and current direction remain unchanged. Describe quantitatively or qualitatively how the net magnetic force and the torque about A change as the angle increases, and justify your reasoning.