MECHANICAL EFFECTS OF ELECTRIC CURRENT

Force on a moving charge in a magnetic field

Lorentz force
Consider a charge +q moving a velocity V inside a magnetic field of
strength B. Let the magnetic field be acting along the Z axis and the charge be
moving in the YZ plane making an angle with the direction of the field (as shown).
Then the charge +q experience a mechanical force along the X axis. The magnitude
of the force experienced by the charge is F = BqV sin . In vector notation, the force
is represented by
F q(V B) .
The direction of the mechanical force
on the moving charge is given by

Flemmings left hand rule.

Let the fore finger, middle finger and the thumb of the left hand be
stretched out in three mutually perpendicular directions. If the fore finger points in
the direction of the magnetic field and the middle finger points in the direction of
motion of the charge, then the thumb points in the direction of the force on the
conductor.
F
From the equation F BqVsin , B
qVsin
If q = +1 coulomb (unit charge), V 1ms 1 (unit velocity), 90 and hence
sin sin90 1 and F=1 newton, then B = 1 tesla.
If one coulomb of charge moving with a speed of 1metre per second in a direction
perpendicular to the direction of a magnetic field experiences a force of 1 newton,
then the magnetic field strength is said to be 1 tesla.
newton
newton
tesla

coulomb metre / second coulomb / second metre

newton
N

amp metre A m

Note:
Z

i.e, for
charge,
the
zero.
acts on
charge
field.

B
V cos

V sin

1.If V = 0
static
F = 0, i.e,
force is
No force
a static
in a
magnetic
2. If the direction of motion of

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the charge is parallel ( 0 ) or anti-parallel ( 180 ) to the direction of

the magnetic field, then F = 0. Hence there will be no force on the charge.
3. The force will be maximum when 90 , when the charge moves
perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field. The maximum
force will be F = BqV.
4. The force always acts perpendicular to the direction of V and B. Hence no
work is done by F. It only deflects the charge.
Since the force is always perpendicular of the moving charge, at any
instant of time, the charged particle will be continuously deflected. Hence the
charged particle will tend to move along the circumference of a circle. Thus the path
of the charged particle will be circular.
If the charge moves perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field, the
radius of the circular path is given by

Fcentripetal

mv2
mv

BqV r
where m is the mass of the charged particle.
r
Bq,

If the charged particle moves at an angle to the field direction, its motion
consists of a circular motion due to the component Vsin, together with a translatory
motion with a velocity Vcos, along the field direction. Then the centripetal force
required for the circular motion is F BqVsin .
Thus Fcentripetal

m (vsin ) 2
mVsin

Bqvsin r
r
Bq

The path of the particle will be helical.

Applications: Mechanical force on moving charge in a magnetic field has a wide

range of applications in modern technology. The electron beam in a CRT is
deflected using a magnetic field. The force is used in the principle of
cyclotron(particle accelerator), mass spectrograph etc.

Expression for the force on a conductor carrying current

placed in a magnetic field:
Consider a conductor of length L carrying a current I as shown. Let the
velocity of the charges constituting the current be V. Let the conductor be placed in
a magnetic field of strength B at an angle with respect to the field. Then the
mechanical force acting on the conductor is given by
F BqVsin
length
L

Bq sin velocity
time
t

q
q

B Lsin F BILsin where I(current)

t
t

The force is maximum on the conductor when 90 i.e when the conductor
is at right angles to the field direction.
Therefore F = BIL newton.
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The direction of the mechanical force is given by

Flemmings Left hand rule(Motor rule):

Consider the middle finger, fore finger and thumb of the left hand to be
stretched out in three mutually perpendicular directions. If the fore finger points in
the direction of magnetic field and the middle finger points in the direction of the
current through the conductor, then, the thumb
I2
I1
points in the direction of the mechanical force
r
acting on the conductor.
Into the

Forces between two parallel

conductors carrying current:

F1

F2

plane of the
paper

Out of plane
Consider two parallel infinitely long
of the paper
conducting wires in free space, carrying currents
I1 and I 2 in the same direction. Let the conductors be separated by a distance r.
Each conductor will produce a magnetic field of its own which will act on the other
conductor. Hence each conductor under the influence of a magnetic field will
experience a mechanical force.

By applying right hand clasp rule and Flemmings left hand rule, it can be
shown that the conductors attract one another.
The magnetic field B1 due to the current I1 in the first conductor acting on the
I
second conductor is B1 1 .This field will be acting perpendicular to the
2r
conductor, out of the plane of the paper.
The mechanical force exerted by this magnetic field B1 on the second
conductor carrying the current I 2 is given by F2 B1I2L, where L is the
length of the conductor.
Thus F2

I1
II L
I2 L F2 1 2
2r
2r

According to Flemmings left hand rule, this

force F2 acts in the plane of the paper and is directed
towards the first conductor (as shown).
Similarly the force on the first conductor exerted
by the magnetic field due to the current I 2 in the second conductor is given by
II L
F1 1 2 .
This force also lies in the plane of the paper and
2r
points towards the second conductor.
From the above equations it implies that
II L
F1 F2 F 1 2
2r
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This indicates that the forces are such that the conductors attract one another
with the same force.
Then the force per unit length of the conductor
B(Applied field) B
I1I 2
is
.
2r
Bcoil
Since 4 107 , the force/unit length is
Bcoil
F 4 107 I1I2 2 107 I1I2

=0
L
2r
r

= max
B

mB

mB

Definition of Ampere:

If I1 I2 I,r 1m, then F 2 107 N , Current I =1 is

called ampere
Ampere is that current which when flowing
through two infinitely long parallel conductors of negligible
cross section placed in vacuum at a distance of 1 meter from
each other produces between them a force of 2 107 newton
per metre length of each conductor.

Note: If two straight parallel conductors carry current in

opposite directions, they repel one another.

Torque on a current loop in a uniform magnetic field

A current loop behaves as a magnetic dipole. The dipole moment is given by
m = I A, where I is the current strength and A is the area of the loop. The direction of
this moment will be perpendicular to the plane of the loop. When a current loop is
placed is a uniform magnetic field B, the loop experiences a torque given by

mB sin m B where is the angle between the normal to the loop and the
direction of the field. As a result the
current loop tends to rotate.
1. When 0 , i.e, the field B is along the normal to the plane of the coil, the torque
will be zero (minimum).
2. When 90 , i.e, the field B is perpendicular to the normal to the plane of the coil,
the torque will be mB (maximum). As a result the loop rotates till B is along the
normal to the plane of the loop and then the loop come to rest.

Suspended coil
galvanometer(DArsonval type):

This is a device to accurately

measure very small currents in the order
of micro amperes. It works on the
principle that a current carrying conductor

F
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experiences a mechanical force in a magnetic field.

Construction:
The galvanometer essentially consists of a rectangular coil of several turns of a fine
insulated wire wound on a non conducting frame. The lower end of the coil is
connected to a spring. The upper end of the coil is attached to a long phosphorus
bronze wire, whose upper end is connected to a torsion head. With this the coil is
suspended between concave pole pieces of a powerful permanent cylindrical magnet.
The poles are made concave to obtain a strong radial field. With this the plane
of the coil lies parallel to the field in any position of the coil.
Theory: The current (I) under measurement is allowed to enter the galvanometer
through the torsion head and exit through the spring end. Let PQRS represent the
coil,
PQ = b and QR = l. Let B represent the magnetic field. When the current flows from
Q to R, the side QR of the coil experiences a force F = BI l newtons, acting from
back to front (according to Flemmings Left hand rule). When the same current flows
from S to P, the side SP experiences a force F = BI l newtons, acting from front to
back. These two unlike parallel forces constitute a couple.
Moment of deflecting couple = Force Perpendicular distance
F b B I l b BIA
Where, A l b is the area of the coil,
For n turns in the coil, the net deflecting couple = nBIA
The restoring couple due to the torsion opposes the action of deflecting couple. Let
C be the restoring couple per unit twist.
Let the coil
rotate by angle and
attain equilibrium
under the influence of
the two couples. Then
the net restoring
couple will be C. For
equilibrium.
Moment of the
deflecting couple =
Moment of restoring couple
nBIA = C
C
C
I

nBA nBA
C
The factor
= K is a constant of the galvanometer and is called the
nBA
reduction factor of the galvanometer.
Thus I = K or I . This means, in a moving coil galvanometer, the
deflection is proportional to the current through it.

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The deflection is measured by a lamp and scale measurement. The principle

employed is, when a plane mirror is rotated by an angle , and then the deflected ray
rotates by an angle 2.

Measurement of current:
Initially a known current (I ) is passed through the
galvanometer and the corresponding deflection ( ) is measured. The K is calculated
I
by the relation K

Then the current under measurement (I) is passed through the galvanometer and the
corresponding deflection () is measured. Then the current I is given by I = K.

nBA

is known as the current sensitivity. It is measured in

I
C
terms of the deflection produced per unit current.
Current sensitivity is defined as the deflection produced per unit current.
Smaller the current per unit deflection, greater the sensitivity.
The current sensitivity is increased by increasing the number of turns, magnetic field
strength and the area of the coil and by decreasing the couple per unit twist.
Radial field: The magnetic field between the cylindrical poles is radial. This means

Current sensitivity:

the magnetic lines of force are along the radii as shown. Due to this, the plane of the
coil remains always parallel to the direction of the magnetic field in all the
orientations of the coil.

Advantaged of a moving coil galvanometer:

1. The instrument is very sensitive and can measure very small currents.
2. Since the coil is in a strong magnetic field, the influence of external stray
magnetic fields is a minimum. Hence the instrument can be used in any
direction.

Limitations of moving coil galvanometer:

1. It can measure only very small currents ranging from a few nano-amp to a
few micro amp.
2. It is not portable because of its very delicate suspension and the high degree
of leveling required.
3. The initial adjustments are elaborate.
4. The current cannot be read directly on the instrument.
5. The instrument should be free from mechanical vibrations.

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Pointer or Table galvanometer: This is a modified form of a moving coil

galvanometer which is compact, sturdy and can be converted into an ammeter or an
voltmeter. In this coil is not suspended but is pivoted on fine jewels
bearings. Two spiral springs are attached to the ends of the coil to provide the
necessary torsional couple and these also serve as leads for the current.
One end of a light pointer is attached to the axle of the coil and the other end moves
on a suitable centre zero scale.
This instrument can only detect the presence of current and indicates its direction.
This can also indicate whether the current is large or small but cannot measure its
value.

Conversion of galvanometer into an ammeter:

Ammeter is a modified form of a table galvanometer designed to read current
directly in amperes or its fractions.
Since ammeter is a current measuring instrument, the entire current that is
flowing in the circuit should flow through it. Hence the ammeter should be in series
with the circuit.
Since the ammeter is a current measuring instrument, its introduction into the
circuit should not alter the main current flowing in the circuit. For this the effective
resistance of the ammeter should be ideally zero or practically almost
zero(negligible). This is achieved by connecting a low
resistance, namely shunt in parallel with the galvanometer coil.
Shunt is a low resistance connected in parallel with a galvanometer to convert
the galvanometer into an ammeter. The shunt
(low resistance) provides an easy path for the
large current and hence reduces the resistance.
If I g is the current producing full scale
deflection in the galvanometer of resistance G
and I is the main current to be measured, then
the shunt resistance is calculated as follows.
p.d. across the shunt = p.d. across
the galvanometer
IG
(I Ig )S Ig G S g
I Ig

Since Ig I the instrument can be

calibrated to read the main current I (flowing in
the circuit) directly.

Conversion of the galvanometer into an

voltmeter:
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M.N.Sharath kumar

Voltmeter is a modified form of a galvanometer designed to read the p.d.

directly in volts or its fractions.
Since voltmeter is a p.d. measuring instrument, the p.d. across the component
that is to be measured should also appear across the voltmeter. Hence the voltmeter is
always connected in parallel to the component.
When connected across two points in a circuit, the voltmeter should not alter
the existing pd. This is possible only when the voltmeter does not draw any current
(ideally) or draws negligible amount of current from the circuit. This is possible
when the voltmeter has an infinite resistance (ideally) or practically a very large
resistance. This achieved by connecting a suitable high resistance in series with the
galvanometer coil.
If I g is the current producing full scale deflection in the galvanometer of
resistance G and V is the p.d. to be measured, then the high resistance to be
connected in series is calculated as follows.
V
V
By Ohms law V (R G)Ig R G R G
Ig
Ig
Ammeter

Voltmeter

Voltmeter
G
Ig
I

It is used to measure current.

It is always connected in series with

the
Circuit.
A galvanometer is converted into an
ammeter by connecting a low
resistance across it.
An ideal ammeter will have zero
resistance
A practical ammeter will have low
resistance.

R
V

It is used to measure p.d. between

two
Components.
It is always connected in parallel to
the components(s) across which the
p.d. has to be measured.
A galvanometer is converted into a
voltmeter by connecting a high
resistance in series with it.
An ideal voltmeter will have infinite
resistance.
A practical voltmeter will have a
very high resistance.

Note:

The resistance of an ideal ammeter is zero.

The resistance of an ideal voltmeter is infinity.
The resistance of a practical ammeter should be almost equal to zero or should
be negligible.
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 The resistance of a practical voltmeter should be very large.

GS

The effective resistance of an ammeter is R A

G S
The effective resistance of an voltmeter is R A (G R)

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