Biot and Savart law

The magnitude of magnetic field B at due to a

current-length element i dl a distance of r from fro i
the element is given by dB points
µo i dl sin θ into the page
dB =
4π r 2

where θ is the angle between the length element

dl and the position vector r which extends from the
current element to the point at which dB is
measured. r
Here µo is a constant called permeability constant
dl
whose value is defined to be exactly
µo = 4 π x 10-7 T.m /A
in vector form

µo i dl × r
dB =
4π r 3
The vector equation and its scalar form are known as the law of Biot and Savart.

The direction of B due to a current element is important feature of the above

equation. If both the current and the point at which B is measured are situated on the
plane of the page then the direction of the vector product i.e. the direction of dB
should point normally in to the plane of the page.

Magnetic field due to a

straight current carrying wire
At a distance of R on either side Left side Right side
of the wire carrying current i
is given by
R R
+∞ +∞
µ i dl sin θ µo i B points
B = ∫ dB = 4π ∫ r
o
2 = 2π R
B points normally normally into
−∞ −∞ out of the plane the plane

The lines of B forms a closes circular loop around the straight wire as shown in figure
below
Ampere’s Law
The mathematical statement of Amperes law is given by
 
∫ • dl = µo i
B

The circle on the integral sign means that the scalar product B.dl is to be integrated
over a closed path called Amperian Loop. The current I on the right hand side is the
net current encircled by the loop.

In words the law can be stated as

" The integral of B.dl around any closed mathematical path equals u0 times the
current intercepted by the area spanning the path "

Explanation :
Figure below shows three long straight wires currents
i1 , i2 and i3 either directly into or directly out of the page.
An arbitrary Amperian loop encircles the two currents i3 i1
 
but not the third. The integral ∫ B • dl = B dl cosθ can be
evaluated just by determining the net current encircled by
the loop. To do this we need to follow the following sign i2
convention.

“ Curl the right hand fingers in the direction of integration along the Amperian loop.
Current passing through the loop in the general direction of outstretched thumb is
assigned positive sign and vice-versa.”
With this convention current i1 is positive and i2 is negative so that net current
encircled by the loop is
ienc = i1 - i2

Magnetic field near a straight Wire carrying a current.

Let us consider a circular amperian loop of radius R centering the axis of a wire
carrying current i. The figure shows the cross-section of a wire running normally out
of the page. The general direction of B at any point of the circular in tangential to the
path and is anticlockwise. So the dot product B.dl at
any point of the path is equal to B dl. As B has
constant value over the circular path the closed path
integral is 
 B
∫ • dl = ∫ B dl = B ∫ dl = B(2πR)
B
Now as the current enclosed by the path is I we can
write from Ampere’s law R
B (2πR) = µoi
µo i R
or ,
2π R
Magnetic field inside a current carrying wire
Figure below shows the cross-section of a wire of radius R carrying current i. To
determine the magnetic field B inside the wire let us consider a circular loop of radius
r (r,R). The general direction of B at any point of the circular path is tangential to the
path and is anticlockwise. So the dot product B.dl at any point of the path is equal to
B dl. As B has constant value over the circular path the closed
path integral is

∫ • dl = ∫ B dl = B ∫ dl = B(2πr )
B
Now as the
 
current enclosed by the path is πr2 r
i = ∫ J • dA where J is the current density. Considering J to be πR2
constant over the cross-section of the wire the surface integral
i R
is equal to J(π r2). Now as J =
π R2
i 2 i r2
i enc = 2 (π r ) =
πR R2

Now from Amperes Law we get

i r2
B (2πr) =µo 2
R
µo i r
or, B =
π R2
So Magnitude of B is directional to the distance from the axis of the wire at positions
inside the wire.

Magnetic field inside a Solenoid

A solenoid is a long tightly wound helical coil of wire whose diameter is small
compared to its length. The magnetic field generated in the centre, or core, of a
current carrying solenoid is essentially uniform, and is directed along the axis of the
solenoid. Outside the solenoid, the magnetic field is far weaker. The figure below
shows (rather schematically) the magnetic field generated by a typical solenoid. The
solenoid is wound from a single helical wire which carries a current i . The winding is
sufficiently tight so that each turn of the solenoid is well approximated as a circular
wire loop, lying in the plane perpendicular to the axis of the solenoid. Suppose that
there are n such turns per unit axial length of the solenoid.
A stretched out solenoid and the schematic diagram of it is shown in figure (a) and
(b) respectively.
In order to find the magnetic field inside the solenoid let up apply Ampère's circuital
law to the rectangular loop abcd. We must first find the line integral of the magnetic
field around abcd. Along bc and da the magnetic field is essentially perpendicular to
the loop, so there is no contribution to the line integral of the field from these sections
of the loop. Along cd the magnetic field is approximately uniform, of magnitude B,
say, and is directed parallel to the loop. Thus, the contribution to the line integral from
this section of the loop is BL, where L is the length of cd. Along ab the magnetic field
strength is essentially negligible, so this section of the loop makes no contribution to
the line integral. It follows that the line integral of the magnetic field around abcd is
simply
W = BL
By Ampère's law, this line integral is equal to µo times the algebraic sum of the
currents which flow through the loop abcd. Since the length of the loop along the axis
of the solenoid is L, the loop intersects nL turns of the solenoid, each carrying a
current i. Thus, the total current which flows through the loop is Σi = nLi . Ampère's
law yields
BL = µo nLi
which reduces to
B = µo ni

This, result is exact in the limit in which the length of the solenoid is very much
greater than its diameter

Problem sheet
1. A loop of a wire has the shape of two concentric semicircles connected by two
radial segments. The loop carries current I as shown in the figure. Find the
magnetic field at point P using law of Biot –Savart

2. Use Biot-Savart law to calculate the magnetic field at the center of the two
concentric arcs forming a closed loop. The current is I and the angle made at
the center is 900.

I b

C
3. The magnitude of the magnetic field 88.0 cm from the axis of a long straight
wire is 7.30 µT. what is the current through the wire?
4. A 10 gauge bare copper wire 92.6 mm in diameter)can carry a current of 50 A
without overheating. For this current what is the magnetic field at the surface
of the wire
5 A surveyor is using a magnetic compass 20 ft below a power line in which
there is a steady current of 100 A. What is the magnetic field at the site of the
compass due to the power line?

6. Two parallel wires are 10.0 cm apart. What equal currents must be in the
wires if the magnetic field halfway between them is to have a magnitude of 3.0
mT? Answer for antiparallel currents.
7. Two parallel wires a distance of d apart carry currents i and 3i in the same
direction. Locate point or points where magnetic field is zero.

8. Two long straight wires a distance d apart carry

equal antiparrel currents i as in figure below. (a)
Show that the magnitude of the magnetic field at
point P, equidistant from the wires s given by
2 µoid
B= d R P
( )
π 4R 2 + d 2
(b) In which direction B points?
9 each of the eight conductors in figure below carry
2.0A current into or out of the page. Two paths are
 
indicated for the line integral ∫ B • dl . What is the path integral for the path (a)
at the left and (b) at the right?

10. Figure below shows the cross section of long cylindrical wire of radius a,
carrying a uniformly distributed current i. Assume that 2 = 2.0 cm, i = 100 A
and plot B(r) in the range 0<r<0.6 cm.
11. A solenoid has a length of 1.2 m and a mean diameter of 3.0 cm. It has 5
layers of windings each having 850 turns. If the solenoid current is 5 A
calculate (a) the magnetic field near its center. (b) Magnetic flux through the
cross-section of the solenoid near its center.
12 A 200 turn solenoid having a length of 25 cm and a diameter of 10 cm carries
a current of 0.3 A. calculate the magnitude of magnetic field B at inside the
solenoid.
13 A solenoid 95.0 cm long has a radius of 2.0 cm and a winding of 1200 turns; it
carries a currents of 3.6 A . Calculate the magnitude of magnetic field inside
the solenoid.
14 A solenoid 95.0 cm long and 2.60 cm in diameter carries a current of 18.0 A.
the magnetic field inside the solenoid is 23.0 mT. Find the length of the wire
forming the solenoid
15 A solenoid has a length of 1.2 m and a mean diameter of 3.0 cm. It has 5
layers of windings each having 850 turns. If the solenoid current is 5 A
calculate (a) the magnetic field near its center. (b) Magnetic flux through the
cross-section of the solenoid near its center.

16 Each of two straight parallel wires 10 cm apart carries a current of 100A.

Figure below shows a cross-section with the wires running perpendicular to
the plane of the page and point P lies on the perpendicular bisector of the line
between the wires. Find the magnitu8de and direction of the magnetic field at
p when the current in the left hand wire is out of the page and the current on
the right hand wire is (a) out of the page and (b) into the page
P

17 Figure below shows three parallel wires in the xy plane. Each carries a current
of 4.0 A in the positive x direction the separation between the adjacent wires is
d = 5.0 cm. What is the magnetic force per meter of wire number (2) in the
figure.

1 2 3 y