07 Week 09 - The Steady Magnetic Field

The Steady Magnetic Field
Introduction
• In this chapter, we confine our initial discussion to freespace
conditions
• The source of the steady magnetic field may be a permanent magnet,
an electric field changing linearly with time, or a direct current
• Our present study will concern the magnetic field produced by a
differential dc element in free space
• We may think of this differential current element as a vanishingly
small section of a current-carrying filamentary conductor
• This filamentary conductor is the limiting case of a cylindrical
conductor of circular cross section as the radius approaches zero
Biot-Savart Law
• We assume a current I flowing in a differential vector length of the filament
dL
• The law of Biot-Savart states:
at any point P the magnitude of the magnetic field intensity produced by
the differential element is proportional to the product of the current, the
magnitude of the differential length, and the sine of the angle lying
between the filament and a line connecting the filament to the point P at
which the field is desired; also, the magnitude of the magnetic field
intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the
differential element to the point P.
Biot-Savart Law
Biot-Savart Law
• The direction of the magnetic field intensity is normal to the plane
containing the differential filament and the line drawn from the
filament to the point P. Of the two possible normals, that one to be
chosen is the one which is in the direction of progress of a right-
handed screw turned from dL through the smaller angle to the line
from the filament to P
• The Biot-Savart law, just described in some 150 words, may be
written concisely using vector notation as
Biot-Savart Law
• The units of the magnetic field intensity H are evidently amperes per
meter (A/m)
• If we follow the figure before, the equation become:
• It is impossible to check experimentally the law of Biot-Savart

because the differential current element cannot be isolated
• It follows that only the integral form of the Biot-Savart law can be
verified experimentally
Biot-Savart Law
• The Biot-Savart law may also be expressed in terms of distributed
sources, such as current density J and surface current density K
• Surface current density is measured in amperes per meter width and
designated by K. If the surface current density is uniform, the
total current I in any width b is
Biot-Savart Law
• For a nonuniform surface current density, integration is necessary
• dN is a differential element of the path across which the current is

flowing
• Thus the differential current element I dL, where dL is in the direction
of the current, may be expressed as:
Biot-Savart Law
What is the Magnetic

Field Intensity (H) at point
2, based on an infinite
long straight filament
carrying a direct current?
Biot-Savart Law
• The field point r is therefore 𝑟 = 𝜌𝑎𝜌 . The source point 𝑟 ′ is given by
𝑟 ′ = 𝑧 ′ 𝑎𝑧 , and therefore
• We take 𝑑𝐿 = 𝑑𝑧 ′ 𝑎𝑧 so that
Biot-Savart Law
• At this point the unit vector 𝑎𝜑 under the integral sign should be
investigated, for it is not always a constant. A vector is constant when
its magnitude and direction are both constant.
• Here 𝑎𝜑 changes with the coordinate φ but not with ρ or z
• Fortunately, the integration here is with respect to 𝑧 ′ , and 𝑎𝜑 is a
constant and may be removed from under the integral sign
Biot-Savart Law
Some note:
• The magnitude of the field is not a function of φ or z, and it varies
inversely with the distance from the filament
• The direction of the magnetic-field-intensity vector is circumferential
• The streamlines are therefore circles about the filament, and the field
may be mapped in cross section as in the next Figure
Biot-Savart Law
The streamlines of the

magnetic field intensity
about an infinitely long
straight filament
carrying a direct current
I. The direction of I is
into the page
The field of the finite-
length current element
If one or both ends are

below point 2, then 𝛼1 is
or both 𝛼1 and 𝛼1 are
negative
AMPERE’S CIRCUITAL LAW
• Ampere’s circuital law states that the line integral of H about any
closed path is exactly equal to the direct current enclosed by that
path
• We define positive current as flowing in the direction of advance of a

right-handed screw turned in the direction in which the closed path is
traversed
AMPERE’S
CIRCUITAL LAW
• A conductor has a total
current I. The line
integral of H about the
closed paths a and b is
equal to I, and the
integral around path c is
less than I, since the
entire current is not
enclosed by the path
AMPERE’S CIRCUITAL LAW (Example 1)
Let’s revisit the problem of “Infinite long filament carrying current I”
• The filament lies on the z axis in free space and the current flows in the
direction given by 𝑎𝑧
• Symmetry inspection comes first, showing that there is no variation with z
or φ
• Next we determine which components of H are present by using the Biot-
Savart law
• Without specifically using the cross product, we may say that the direction
of dH is perpendicular to the plane conaining dL and R and therefore is in
the direction of 𝑎𝜑
• Hence the only component of H is 𝐻𝜑 , and it is a function only of ρ
• We therefore choose a path, to any section of which H is either
perpendicular or tangential, and along which H is constant
• The first requirement (perpendicularity or tangency) allows us to replace the
dot product of Amp`ere’s circuital law with the product of the scalar
magnitudes, except along that portion of the path where H is normal to the
path and the dot product is zero
• the second requirement (constancy) then permits us to remove the magnetic
field intensity from the integral sign
• In our example, the path must be a circle of radius ρ, and Ampere’s
circuital law becomes
•
• consider an infinitely long coaxial transmission line carrying a uniformly
distributed total current I in the center conductor and −I in the outer
conductor
• Symmetry shows that H is not a function of φ or z
• In order to determine the components present, we may use the results of
the previous example by considering the solid conductors as being
composed of a large number of filaments
• No filament has a z component of H
• The 𝐻𝜌 component at 𝜑 = 0𝑜 , produced by one filament located at 𝜌 = 𝜌1 ,
𝜑 = 𝜑1 , is canceled by the 𝐻𝜌 component produced by a symmetrically
located filament 𝜌 = 𝜌1 , 𝜑 = −𝜑1
• Again we find only an Hφ component which varies with ρ
• A circular path of radius ρ, where ρ is larger than the radius of the
inner conductor but less than the inner radius of the outer conductor,
then leads immediately to
• If we choose ρ smaller than the radius of the inner conductor, the

current enclosed is
• If the radius ρ is larger than the outer radius of the outer conductor,
no current is enclosed
• Finally, if the path lies within the outer conductor, we have

Some note:
• The magnetic-field-strength variation with radius is shown in the next
Figure for a coaxial cable in which b = 3a, c = 4a
• It should be noted that the magnetic field intensity H is continuous at
all the conductor boundaries
• In other words, a slight increase in the radius of the closed path does
not result in the enclosure of a tremendously different current
• The value of 𝐻𝜑 shows no sudden jumps
The magnetic field intensity as a function of radius in an infinitely long coaxial

transmission line with the dimensions shown

07 Week 09 - The Steady Magnetic Field

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The Steady Magnetic Field

• It is impossible to check experimentally the law of Biot-Savart

• dN is a differential element of the path across which the current is

What is the Magnetic

The streamlines of the

If one or both ends are

• We define positive current as flowing in the direction of advance of a

• If we choose ρ smaller than the radius of the inner conductor, the

• Finally, if the path lies within the outer conductor, we have

The magnetic field intensity as a function of radius in an infinitely long coaxial

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