13.1.7

Magnetic Flux Density

Test yourself on Magnetic Flux Density

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Magnetic Force on a Wire Experiment

We can investigate how the force on a wire varies with flux density, current and length of wire in the magnetic field, by using a top pan balance.

Apparatus

Apparatus

  • Set up the apparatus as shown in the diagram.
  • For this investigation, aim to make the angle of the wire with the field as close as possible to 90°.
  • Caution: the current should not exceed 4A (as the variable resistor is likely to smoke).
Variables to investigate

Variables to investigate

  • Using the arrangement on the previous slide, we can investigate the magnitude of the force as a function of:
    • Flux density of the magnetic field
    • Current in the wire
    • Length of wire in the field
    • Angle between wire and field lines
Formula

Formula

  • The formula for the magnetic force is:
    • F=BILsinθF = BIL\sin \theta
  • Where F is the force, B is the magnetic flux density, L is the length of wire in the field and θ is the angle between the field lines and the wire.
Example analysis

Example analysis

  • An example of the analysis possible:
    • Plot a graph of force against current.
    • The line of best fit should be a straight line that passes through the origin.
    • By comparison with “y = mx + c”, the gradient of the line should be equal to BLsinθ.
Jump to other topics
1

Physical Quantities & Units

2

Kinematics

3

Dynamics

4

Force, Density & Pressure

5

Work, Energy & Power

6

Deformation of Solids

7

Waves

8

Superposition

9

Thermal Physics

10

Communication

11

Electric Fields

12

Current Electricity

13

Magnetic Fields

14

Modern Physics

Practice questions on Magnetic Flux Density

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
Answer all questions on Magnetic Flux Density

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium