Field of a Wire
Part of the Electricity and Magnetism section of Coddy's Physics journey. Lesson 39 of 51.
Around a long straight wire the field lines are circles, and
B = μ₀ I / (2π r)
μ₀ = 4π × 10⁻⁷ T·m/A.
The right-hand grip rule: thumb along the current, fingers curl along the field. Current out of the page: counterclockwise.
Challenge
A long straight wire carries 10 A. How strong is its magnetic field B at a point 5 cm from it, in microteslas?
Try it yourself
This lesson includes a short quiz. Start the lesson to answer it and track your progress.
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