Chapter 4 Electromagnetism

4.1 Magnetic forces and magnetic fields

A Magnets and magnetic force
1 A magnet has a _______________ pole (N-pole) and a _______________ pole
(S-pole). The two poles always exist in pair in a magnet.

cut

S N S N S N

Even if a bar magnet is cut into two pieces, there will

still be a pair of north and south poles in each piece.

2 A magnetic force acts between the poles of two magnets.

Like poles ____________ each other;

unlike poles ____________ each other.

3 The needle of a compass is a small magnet. It shows the direction of the

_______________ force due to another magnet nearby.

Draw the compass needle and label its north pole and south pole in each diagram
below.

(a)
S N

compass

(b)
N S

compass

4 (a) Magnetic materials can be _______________ by a pole of a magnet.

Examples: iron, steel, nickel, cobalt

(b) Non-magnetic materials are unaffected by a magnet.

Examples: plastic, wood, copper

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B Magnetic fields
1 The properties of magnetic field lines include:

(a) The field lines go from a _______________ pole to a _______________ pole

outside the magnet.

(b) The direction of field line at a point indicates the direction of the

_______________ force acting on the _______________ pole of a magnet.

The magnetic force acting on

F
the compass needle causes it
F compass
to align with the field lines.
F N

(c) Region with _______________ field lines  stronger field

N S N S N S N S

N S N S N S N S

N S N S N S N S
weaker field stronger field

(d) The field lines never cross each other.

WRONG!

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2 The following shows the magnetic field patterns produced between two magnets.
 Between two poles of bar magnets

N N S S N S
neutral point neutral point

 Between a north and a south poles of slab-shaped magnets

S N S N
The field lines are
____________ spaced.
S N S N
Therefore the magnetic
field is ____________.
S N S N

3 The earth behaves like a large magnet.

magnetic
The geographic north pole is actually south pole

close to the magnetic ______________ N

geographic
north pole
pole of the earth.
magnetic
north pole 11.5

geographic south pole

Checkpoint 1
S S S S
N N N N

N S
slab-shaped magnets
S S S S
N N N N

A small bar magnet is held between two fixed slab-shaped magnets as shown.
(a) Draw the magnetic field lines between the slab-shaped magnets to show the magnetic
field they produce.
(b) What happens to the small bar magnet right after it is released?
Solution
(b) The _______________ pole of the small bar magnet experiences a downward force
while the _______________ pole experiences an upward force. As a result, the magnet
starts to _______________ in _______________ direction.
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 4.2 Magnetic fields of electric current
A Magnetic field patterns of electric currents
1 Electric currents produce magnetic field.

2 The cross and dot symbols can be used to represent the direction into and out of page.
cross symbol for
current direction current
direction
Cross symbol
(direction into page)

cross symbol for

current direction current
direction
Dot symbol
(direction out of page)

3 The following shows the magnetic field patterns produced by a long straight wire.
Draw the field patterns as viewed by the observer.
observer observer

current current

Top view

current direction

The field pattern around a long straight wire has the following properties:

(a) The field lines are ______________ around the wire.

(b) The field lines are ______________ closely-spaced in the region closer to

the wire ( a ______________ magnetic field).

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4 The right-hand grip rule for straight wires can be used to determine the direction of
magnetic field lines around a straight wire.

If the _____________ hand grips the wire so current

direction
that the thumb points the same way as the

_____________, the fingers curl in the same

way as the _______________________. field

direction

5 For a magnetic field produced by an electric current, reversing the _______________

reverses the direction of the field lines. Furthermore, if the current increases, the

magnetic field will become _______________.

6 The following shows the magnetic field patterns produced by a circular coil.
Draw the field patterns as viewed by the observer.
observer

current

Top view

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7 A solenoid is a long coil made up of a number of turns of wire. The following shows
the magnetic field patterns produced by a solenoid.
Draw the field patterns as viewed by the observer.

observer

current

Top view

The field pattern due to a solenoid has the following properties:

(a) Inside the solenoid, the field lines are ______________ and evenly spaced.

This indicates that the field is ______________.

(b) Outside the solenoid, the pattern is similar to that around a ____________

____________, with one end of the solenoid behaving like an N-pole and
the other end like an S-pole.

8 The right-hand grip rule for solenoids can be used to determine the pole of a solenoid.

If the ____________ hand grips the solenoid so thumb indicates the field direction
inside the solenoid
that the fingers curl in the same way as the

____________, the thumb points the same way

as the _______________________ inside the

fingers indicate the
solenoid. current direction

In other words, the thumb points at the end which behaves like a _____________ pole.

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9 The magnetic field of the solenoid can be increased by

(a) _______________ the current,

(b) _______________ the number of turns in the solenoid (length of solenoid fixed),

(c) inserting a _______________ core or a steel core through the solenoid.

Checkpoint 2
(a) (b)
M M (inside the
solenoid)
straight wire
solenoid
N
N
In each case above, determine the direction of the magnetic field at M and N. Also compare
the strength of magnetic field at these two points.
Solution
(a) M: _______________________
N: _______________________
The magnetic field at M is ______________________________ that at N.
(b) M: _______________________
N: _______________________
The magnetic field at M is ______________________________ that at N.

B Calculating magnetic fields of electric currents

1 The SI unit of magnetic field is the _______________, written as T.

2 The magnitude of the magnetic field B at a perpendicular distance r from an

_______________ long straight wire carrying a current I is given by:

0 I
B=
2 πr

where 0 is called the _______________________________________ and is equal to

_________________________.

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Checkpoint 3
wire M 8A

Y
X 5 cm
wire N 8A

Two long parallel wires M and N at a distance 5 cm apart carry currents in the same
direction. The current carried by each wire is 8 A. X is a mid-point between the two wires.
(a) Find the magnetic field at X due to wire M.
(b) Explain why the resultant magnetic field at X is zero.
(c) Y is a point which is at a perpendicular distance 2 cm from M. Find the resultant
magnetic field at Y.
Solution
0 I
(a) Magnitude of magnetic field = =
2 πr
The required magnetic field is ________________ and points ________________.
(b) The magnetic field at X due to wire N has the same _______________ as that due to
wire M but points at the _______________ direction. The magnetic fields at X due to
M and N ___________________ each other and therefore the resultant magnetic field
is zero.
(c) Magnitude of resultant magnetic field at Y
= magnetic field due to M  magnetic field due to N
=

The resultant magnetic field is ________________ and points __________________.

3 Consider a long solenoid of length l and radius r with N turns carrying a current I. The
magnitude of the magnetic field B inside / outside the solenoid (far away from both
ends) is:

 0 NI
B= = 0nI
l

N
*n= , which is the __________________________ per unit length.
l
* A solenoid is regarded as long if r  l.

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Checkpoint 4
A long solenoid has 20 turns of coil in each cm and carries a current of 10 A.
(a) Find the magnitude of the magnetic field inside the solenoid.
(b) What will happen to the answer in (a) if
(i) the turns are more closely wound,
(ii) a solenoid of smaller radius is used?
Solution
 0 NI
(a) B = =
l
(b) (i) The answer in (a) will _______________ as the number of turns per unit length
_______________.
(ii) The answer in (a) will ______________________.

C Electromagnets
1 An _______________________ behaves like a permanent magnet and can be switched
on / off. It consists of many turns of wire wound round a core.

When a current passes C-core

through the wire, the C-core
behaves like a magnet. The
polarity can be determined S N

by the right-hand grip rule for The paper clips will be picked

solenoids. up by the electromagnet.

2 An electromagnet can be made stronger by

(a) _______________ the number of turns per unit length of the coil,

(b) _______________ the current through the coil,

(c) inserting a _______________ core into the coil.

3 Electromagnets are used in the following applications:

(a) Some cranes have giant electromagnets to lift _______________ objects.

(b) In an earphone, a _______________ current is sent

through the electromagnet. The electromagnet exerts
a varying magnetic force on the diaphragm. As a
result, the diaphragm vibrates and produces sound

waves with various frequencies and _____________.

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 (c) In an electric bell as shown below, when the switch is pressed, the electromagnet
is switched on and off repeatedly. This produces a continuous sound.

switch (open) switch (pressed) switch (pressed)

iron arm 



contact-breaker
electromagnet
hammer
gong

 Once the switch is pressed, the electromagnet becomes ______________ and

______________ the iron arm. The hammer then hits the gong.

 The circuit becomes ______________. The magnetic force by the electromagnet

______________ and the iron arm springs back.

 The circuit becomes ______________ again.

 As long as the switch is kept pressed, the above processes are repeated.

(d) The magnetic levitation train (maglev train) makes use of electromagnets for
levitation and propulsion.

Levitating the train

train body
guideway guidance electromagnet
stator (part of for stabilizing the train
the guideway)
support electromagnet (part
of the train) attracted to the
stator

Propelling the train

 resultant force  resultant force

train train
S N S N S N S N

FF F F FF FF F FF F F FF
N S N S N S N S N S

The electromagnets change their __________

to keep propelling the train.

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 4.3 Force due to magnetic fields
A Magnetic force on a current-carrying conductor
1 When a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, there is a magnetic

force acting on the conductor. Its direction is given by the _______________________

___________________:

Hold the thumb and the first two fingers of the magnetic force F
____________ hand at right angles. The thumb

gives the direction of the __________________ F, external

magnetic
if the first finger points in the same direction as field B
left
the external _______________________ B, and hand
the second finger in the same direction as the current I

____________ I.

Checkpoint 5
In each case below, draw an arrow to represent the direction of magnetic force acting on the
current-carrying wire.
(a)

current I

S-pole N-pole

(b)

   
   
magnetic field B
   
   
current I

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2 A ______________________ can be set up as follows to investigate how the magnetic
force is affected by different factors:

current in Q insulating segment P

pivot edge X
R
T
S-pole
N-pole
electronic balance
slab-shaped magnets
on steel yoke
pivot edge Y current out
S

 Construct a rectangular wire frame with a conducting wire except for the insulating segment P.

 Rest the frame ______________ on the conducting pivot edges X and Y. Segment P should

just touch the electronic balance so that the reading is nearly ______________.

 Place slab-shaped magnets to set up a magnetic field ______________ to segment RS.

 When a current flows from X to Y through segment RS, a magnetic force F pointing

______________ acts on segment RS. A normal force acts on P to balance the moment due
to F. The balance reading gives the magnitude of F.

Checkpoint 6
Refer to the set-up above. Take SY = TY = 16 cm.
(a) If the reading of the electronic balance is 0.59 g, what is the magnetic force FB acting
on the frame?
(b) The electronic balance is then removed and
a movable rider of mass 5 g is placed on the
frame as shown. When a current of 2 A R
flows through RS, the rider is moved to
Y
3.2 cm from Y to keep the frame horizontal. S
rider
Estimate the magnetic force FB.
Solution
(a) Take moment about the pivot edges.
Clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment

(b) Take moment about the pivot edges.

Clockwise moment = anticlockwise moment

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Experiment: Effect of current and magnetic field on magnetic force
power supply

rheostat ammeter

pivot edges

electronic
balance

slab-shaped
magnets wire frame

 Set up the current balance as shown.

Effect of current
 Adjust the rheostat to pass different sizes of ___________ through the wire frame.
Find out how the magnetic force is related to the current.

Effect of length of wire inside the magnetic field

 Fix the ___________. Add more pairs of slab-shaped magnets around the
current-carrying arm of the wire frame. Find out how the magnetic force is related to
the length of wire inside the magnetic field.

Effect of magnetic field

 Change the slab-shaped magnets to a flat flat solenoid wire frame
solenoid. Place the current-carrying arm
inside the solenoid.
 Fix the current through the _____________.
Adjust the current through the ___________
to vary the strength of the ______________
______________ inside the solenoid. Find connected to power connected to power
out how the magnetic force is related to the source providing source providing
current through the current through the
strength of the magnetic field. solenoid wire frame

3 The magnetic force F acting on a straight current-carrying wire  if

(a) the current I ________
(b) the length of wire l inside the magnetic field ________
(c) the magnetic field B ________

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B Calculating the magnetic force
1 When a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, only the field

component _______________ to the current direction contributes to the magnetic force

acting on the conductor. The magnetic force F is given by:

F=

B: magnetic field
I: current
l: length of conductor inside the magnetic field
 : angle between directions along I and B
2 (a) When B and I are parallel to each other, F = _______________.
(b) When B and I are perpendicular to each other, F = _______________ and it
attains the maximum.

Checkpoint 7
In each diagram below, indicate the direction of the magnetic force acting on the section of
wire in the magnetic field (shaded region). Given that B = 0.02 T and I = 0.5 A, find the
magnitude of the magnetic force per unit length acting on the section of wire in the
magnetic field.
(a) (b) (c)

B B B

60 60 60

I I I

Solution

(a) Magnetic force F =

(b) Magnetic force F =

(c) Magnetic force F =

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Checkpoint 8
The set-up below is used to estimate the magnitude of the magnetic field between two
slab-shaped magnets. A horizontal segment of wire of length 4 cm is fixed between the
magnets. A current of 2 A is then sent through the wire.

wire
slab-shaped magnet

electronic balance

The readings of the balance before and after the current is sent are 156.2 g and 158.4 g
respectively.
(a) Explain the change in the reading before and after the current is sent.
(b) Estimate the magnitude of the magnetic field between the magnets.
(c) Does this experiment work if the poles of the magnets are reversed? What happens to
the readings of the balance in that case?
Solution
(a) When there is a current, a downward / an upward magnetic force acts on the
wire by the magnets. According to Newton’s _________ law, a downward / an upward
reaction force acts on the _______________ by the _______________. The reading,
giving the sum of this reaction force and the weight acting on the magnets (and the
steel yoke), increases.
(b) Magnetic force F acting on the wire = difference in balance reading  g
=
By F = BIl,

B=
 The magnitude of the magnetic field is ______________.
(c) This experiment still works / does not work anymore. The reading will _____________
after a current is sent through the wire.

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3 When two long straight parallel current-carrying wires are brought near each other,
both of them will experience magnetic forces.
(a) Currents flowing in the same direction  forces are attractive

magnetic field
due to wire X

magnetic force magnetic force

wire X acted by wire Y acted by wire X wire Y

magnetic field
due to wire Y

(b) Currents flowing in the opposite directions  forces are _______________.

Mark the directions of the magnetic fields and magnetic forces.

wire X wire Y

4 The magnitude of the magnetic force between two long straight parallel
current-carrying wires can be derived as follows.

I1 I2

wire P wire Q

Magnetic force per unit length on P

= BIl

= magnetic field at P due to Q  current in P  1

= _______________  _______________  1

= _______________

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Checkpoint 9

d 2d

wire P wire Q wire R

IP = 1 A IQ = 2 A IR = 5 A

Three long straight parallel wires P, Q and R are arranged as shown. Determine the
direction of resultant magnetic force acting on each wire. Also find the ratio of the
magnitudes of the resultant magnetic forces acting on each wire.
Solution
0
Let = k.
2 πd
 0 I1 I 2
Apply B = between two wires.
2 πr
For wire P, wire P
 0  1 2 FPR FPQ
FPQ = = 2k (on P by R) (on P by Q)
2πd

FPR =

Magnitude of the resultant magnetic force =

 The resultant magnetic force acting on P points towards the _______________.
For wire Q, wire Q

 The resultant magnetic force acting on Q points towards the _______________.

For wire R, wire R

 The resultant magnetic force acting on R points towards the _______________.

Ratio of the magnitudes of the resultant magnetic forces =

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C Electric motors
1 When a rectangular current loop is placed in a magnetic field, the magnetic forces
acting on the loop form a couple and provide a torque to turn the loop.

axis

I
B
I

 
clockwise rotation as
viewed from this side

2 When a coil with N turns lies on the same plane as the magnetic field, the moment of
force about the axis can be derived as follows.

axis
b

l
B

 

observer

 = N  (F  b)

= N  BIl  b

= NBI(lb)

= BIAN

* A: area of loop inside the magnetic field

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3 When the loop rotates, the following happens.
F
F
F normal normal
normal

 = 90  
B B B
b b b
b sin 
b sin 
F
F
F

(a) When the normal of the coil makes an angle  to the magnetic field, the moment
of force is given by:

 = ____________________
(b) As the coil rotates from horizontal to vertical,  ______ and therefore  ______.

(c) When the coil is vertical,  becomes _______________. However, the coil keeps
rotating due to _______________.

(d) If the direction of current through the coil remains unchanged, the coil will rotate

_______________ direction after passing the vertical.

F
F=0

rotating due B
B
to inertia

4 The structure of a simple d.c. motor is shown below.

rotation axle
produced The ______________ is fixed
magnet
to the coil and rotates with it.
When the coil shoots past the
coil
vertical, the commutator
N S changes contact from one
carbon brush to another. This
reverses the direction of
carbon external
brush commutator circuit ______________ in the coil.

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5 In a d.c. motor, the direction of current in the coil _______________ every time when
the coil passes the vertical. As a result, the coil keeps on rotating in the same direction.

N S

N S

N S

6 An electric motor converts _______________ energy to _______________ energy.

7 The turning effect on a motor  if
(a) the current _______,
(b) the number of turns in the coil _______,
(c) the area of the coil (within the magnetic field) _______,
(d) the magnetic field _______,
(e) _______________ magnets instead of flat ones are used,

When curved magnets are used, the magnetic

forces acting on the coil stay longer
N S
______________ to the plane of coil and
provide the ______________ moment for a
longer time.
curved magnets

(f) a _______________ core (armature) with several coils is used.

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 4.4 Magnetic forces on moving charges
A Magnetic force on a moving charge
1 When a charge moves in a magnetic field, the charge experiences a magnetic force F
given by:

F=

B: magnetic field

Q: amount of charge

v: velocity of the charge

 : angle between v and B

2 Only the field component _______________ to the direction of motion of the charge
contributes to the magnetic force.

3 As a current is a flow of _______________, the magnetic force acting on a

current-carrying conductor is in fact due to the magnetic force acting on the moving
charges.

4 The direction of the magnetic force acting on a charge can be found by ____________

___________________ rule.

(a) For a positive charge, the direction of I is _______________________ the

direction of motion of the charge.

(b) For a negative charge, the direction of I is _______________________ the

direction of motion of the charge.
Applying Fleming’s left-hand rule
 F


B B B


v v I

 Find the direction of I.

 Resolve B to find the direction of B perpendicular to I.

 By using Fleming’s left-hand rule, find the direction of F due to B and I.

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Checkpoint 10
In each diagram below, indicate the direction of the magnetic force acting on the particle.
Given that B = 0.02 T, find the magnitude of the magnetic force.
(a) (b)
B
v
v
60
60 B

charge = 3.20  1019 C charge = 1.60  1019 C

speed = 1.70  10 m s1
7
speed = 2.85  10 m s1
6

Solution
(a) Magnetic force F =
(b) Magnetic force F =

B Motion of a moving charge in a uniform magnetic field

1 When a particle of mass m and charge +Q moves perpendicularly to a uniform

magnetic field B with initial speed v, it undergoes ______________________ motion.

v v

F F v
F

F
v

When the particle moves in the field, it always experiences a magnetic force
______________ to its motion. Since the force does work / does no work on
the particle, the particle moves at a ______________ speed v. This results in
a uniform circular motion.

2 The magnetic force provides the _______________ force of the circular motion.

BQv = ______________

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Checkpoint 11

B = 5 mT

A positively charged particle enters a uniform magnetic field of 5 mT. After a moment, it
leaves the field in the opposite direction.
(a) Complete the path of the particle.
(b) The particle carries a charge of +4.80  1019 C and has a mass of 3.35  1027 kg. It
enters the field at 2.5  104 m s1. Find the total distance travelled by the particle in the
field.
(c) If the particle had a smaller mass, how would the path change? Sketch the new path in
the same figure.
Solution
mv 2
(b) By BQv = ,
r

r=

Total distance travelled =

Checkpoint 12

A negatively charged particle enters a region of uniform magnetic field and electric field.
The particle then moves with a constant velocity in the region. Assume the effect of the
gravitational force is negligible.

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6
2

(a) Determine whether each of the following statements is correct.

(i) The magnitudes of the magnetic field and the electric field must be the same.
(ii) The directions of the magnetic field and the electric field must be opposite to each
other.
(iii) The magnitudes of the magnetic force and the electric force acting on the particle
must be the same.
(iv) The directions of the magnetic force and the electric force acting on the particle
must be opposite to each other.
(b) The figure below shows the direction of the magnetic field in the region. Indicate the
direction of the electric field.

(c) Explain any changes in the path of the particle if

(i) the quantity of charge of the particle increases;
(ii) the initial velocity of the particle increases.
Solution
(c) Before the change, the electric force and the magnetic force acting on the particle are
equal, i.e. QE = ____________.
(i) As Q increases, the electric force ____________________________ the magnetic
force. Therefore, the path of the particle _________________________________.
(ii) As v increases, the electric force (pointing __________________________)
becomes _____________ than the magnetic force (pointing _________________
____________). As a result, the path of the particle _______________________.

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