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Q.Obtain an expression for the torque acting on a rectangular current loop, when placed inclined at an angle θ\theta with the direction of a magnetic field. OR Using Ampere's circuital law, find an expression for the magnetic field at a point well inside a straight solenoid carrying current.

Meghalaya MboseMBOSE Meghalaya Intermediate Board 2025Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Computing the forces on the two current-carrying sides of a rectangular loop and taking their moment as a couple gives τ=IABsin⁡θ\tau = IAB\sin\theta; for the alternative, applying Ampere's law along a rectangular Amperian loop gives B=μ0nIB=\mu_0nI inside a solenoid.

Setup

Consider a rectangular loop PQRSPQRS of length aa and breadth bb (area A=abA=ab), carrying current II, placed in a uniform magnetic field B⃗\vec B. Let the normal to the plane of the loop, n^\hat n, make angle θ\theta with B⃗\vec B.

Forces on the loop

The two sides of length aa (say PQPQ and RSRS) each carry current II perpendicular to B⃗\vec B's component along the plane, and each experiences a force of magnitude

F=BIaF = BIa

These two forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction (current flows in opposite senses around the loop), and together they form a couple.

The other two sides, of length bb, experience forces that act along the axis of rotation and produce no turning moment about that axis.

Torque as a couple

The two forces F=BIaF=BIa act along parallel lines separated by a perpendicular distance bsin⁡θb\sin\theta (this separation shrinks to zero when the loop's normal is aligned with BB, i.e. θ=0\theta=0, and is maximum, bb, when the loop's plane contains BB, i.e. θ=90°\theta=90°).

The torque of this couple is

τ=F×(perpendicular distance)=(BIa)(bsin⁡θ)=BIabsin⁡θ=BIAsin⁡θ\tau = F \times (\text{perpendicular distance}) = (BIa)(b\sin\theta) = BIab\sin\theta = BIA\sin\theta

For a coil of NN turns, this becomes τ=NIABsin⁡θ\tau = NIAB\sin\theta. In vector form, τ⃗=m⃗×B⃗\vec\tau = \vec m\times\vec B, where m⃗=NIA⃗\vec m = NI\vec A is the magnetic moment of the loop.

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