The Biot-Savart and Ampre Laws

NAME:

____________________________________

NAME:

____________________________________

NAME:

____________________________________

RECITATION SECTION:

__________________________

INSTRUCTOR:

__________________________

DATE:

__________________________

This activity is based on the following concepts:

All currents create a magnetic field. We can calculate this field using two different
approaches: the Biot-Savart Law and Ampres Law.

The Biot-Savart Law: Suppose you want to determine the magnetic field created by a
current carrying wire. Then:
o Divide the wire into small pieces of length ds

o The contribution to the field dB from each infinitesimal piece is:

0 i ds r
dB
4
r3

o Note: the vector r points from the portion of wire ds to the point P where you are
calculating the field.
o Because magnetic fields (like electric fields) obey the superposition principle, you
can now integrate the above expression to obtain the total field.

Ampre's Law is useful in cases of obvious symmetry and relates the integral of the

magnetic field B around a closed loop C to the total current I passing through the area
bounded by the loop:

B ds

0 I

Exercise 1
The figure below shows a wire loop that consists of two straight sections (I and III) and two
semi-circular sections (II and IV). The latter have the same center of curvature. The loop carries
a current i as shown. Use the Biot-Savart Law to figure out the magnetic field (both magnitude
and direction) at the center of curvature. Do this separately for each of the four sections of the
wire and then finally use superposition to determine the total magnetic field. You may use final
expressions derived in the book, but you should explain briefly how the Biot-Savart Law is
applied in each case.

II
a
I

III

b
i

Q1. Calculation for section I:

Q2. Calculation for section III:

Q3. Calculation for section II:

IV

Q4. Calculation for section IV:

Q5. Calculation for total loop:

Exercise 2
The figure below shows the cross-sectional view of a coaxial cable that consists of a core wire
of radius a that carries a uniform current i out of the page, whilst the shielding is a very thin
cylindrical metal shell of radius b that carries a current i into the page. Your aim is to use
Ampres Law to determine the magnetic field as a function of the distance r from the cylinder
axis. The exercise is divided into three distinct regions as indicated below. In each case, you
should show the following steps:
(a) Draw an appropriate closed loop for carrying out the Ampere Law integral, clearly
indicating the direction of integration;
(b) Set up the integral, clearly indicating what is the current enclosed by the loop and how
you selected the sign of the current involved;
(c) Solve the integral to yield an expression for B(r), and check what values it gives at
boundaries (i.e. what are B(r) for r = a and r = b?);
(d) If the magnetic field is non-zero, indicate its direction (e.g. counter-clockwise or
clockwise).
Shielding
radius b
current i into page

Core
radius a
current i out of page

Q6. Region I: r > b

Q7. Region II: a < r < b

Q8. Region III: r < a

Q9. Sketch below the variation of B(r).

B(r)

r=a

r=b