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Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Exam
Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2]
Subject
Physics
Chapter
Magnetic Field due to a Current

Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 2] · Physics · Magnetic Field due to a Current

An electric current i is carried by a wire of length l which is...

An electric current ii is carried by a wire of length ll which is bent into an equilateral triangle. Determine the magnetic field BB at the centre.

Options

  1. A93μ0i2πl\dfrac{9\sqrt{3} \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}
  2. B27μ0i2πl\dfrac{27 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}
  3. C27μ0iπl\dfrac{27 \mu_0 i}{\pi l}
  4. D9μ0i2πl\dfrac{9 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}

Correct answer

B. 27μ0i2πl\dfrac{27 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}

Step-by-step solution

Let the length of each side of the equilateral triangle be aa. Since the total length of the wire is ll, we have a=l3a = \dfrac{l}{3}.

The perpendicular distance dd from the centroid (center) of the equilateral triangle to any of its sides is given by:

d=a23=l323=l63d = \dfrac{a}{2\sqrt{3}} = \dfrac{\dfrac{l}{3}}{2\sqrt{3}} = \dfrac{l}{6\sqrt{3}}

The magnetic field at the center due to one side of the triangle can be found using the Biot-Savart law for a finite straight wire:

B1=μ0i4πd(sin⁡θ1+sin⁡θ2)B_1 = \dfrac{\mu_0 i}{4\pi d} (\sin \theta_1 + \sin \theta_2)

For an equilateral triangle, the line segments joining the center to the vertices subtend an angle of 120∘120^{\circ} at the center. The perpendicular bisects this angle, giving θ1=θ2=60∘\theta_1 = \theta_2 = 60^{\circ}.

Substituting the values:

B1=μ0i4π(l63)(sin⁡60∘+sin⁡60∘)B_1 = \dfrac{\mu_0 i}{4\pi \left(\dfrac{l}{6\sqrt{3}}\right)} (\sin 60^{\circ} + \sin 60^{\circ})

B1=63μ0i4πl(32+32)<br><br>B_1 = \dfrac{6\sqrt{3} \mu_0 i}{4\pi l} \left(\dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2} + \dfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\right)<br><br>B_1 = 63μ0i4πl(3)=18μ0i4πl=9μ0i2πl<br><br>Sincethecurrentflowsinthesamesensethroughallthreesides,themagneticfieldvectorsduetoeachsidepointinthesamedirectionatthecenter.Thetotalmagneticfield\dfrac{6\sqrt{3} \mu_0 i}{4\pi l} (\sqrt{3}) = \dfrac{18 \mu_0 i}{4\pi l} = \dfrac{9 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}<br><br>Since the current flows in the same sense through all three sides, the magnetic field vectors due to each side point in the same direction at the center. The total magnetic fieldB is the sum of the fields due to all three sides:

B=3B1=3×B = 3B_1 = 3 \times\dfrac{9 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l} = \dfrac{27 \mu_0 i}{2\pi l}
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