NVAMediumJEE 2023Force on Current-Carrying Conductor

JEE Physics 2023 Question with Solution

A single turn current loop in the shape of a right angle triangle with sides 5cm5 \, \text{cm}, 12cm12 \, \text{cm}, 13cm13 \, \text{cm} is carrying a current of 2A2 \, \text{A}. The loop is in a uniform magnetic field of magnitude 0.75T0.75 \, \text{T} whose direction is parallel to the current in the 13cm13 \, \text{cm} side of the loop. The magnitude of the magnetic force on the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side will be:

Answer

Correct answer:9

Step-by-step solution

Standard Method

Given: current I=2AI = 2 \, \text{A}, side length L=5cm=0.05mL = 5 \, \text{cm} = 0.05 \, \text{m}, magnetic field B=0.75TB = 0.75 \, \text{T}.

Find: the required numerical value for the magnetic force on the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side.

The force on a straight current-carrying conductor is

F=ILBsinθF = ILB \sin \theta

Since the magnetic field is parallel to the current in the 13cm13 \, \text{cm} side, and the triangle is a 5-12-135\text{-}12\text{-}13 right triangle, the angle between the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side and the 13cm13 \, \text{cm} side satisfies

sinθ=1213\sin \theta = \frac{12}{13}

So,

F=(2)(0.05)(0.75)(1213)=9130NF = (2)(0.05)(0.75)\left(\frac{12}{13}\right) = \frac{9}{130} \, \text{N}

Hence the required numerical value is 99.

Therefore, the answer is 99.

Right triangle current loop with sides 5 cm, 12 cm, 13 cm, current 2 A, and magnetic field B = 0.75 T drawn parallel to the 13 cm side.

Using triangle geometry

Given: the loop is a right angle triangle with sides 5cm5 \, \text{cm}, 12cm12 \, \text{cm}, 13cm13 \, \text{cm} and carries current 2A2 \, \text{A}. The magnetic field is parallel to the 13cm13 \, \text{cm} side.

Find: magnetic force on the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side.

For a wire segment in a magnetic field,

F=ILBsinθF = ILB \sin \theta

Here θ\theta is the angle between the current direction in the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side and the magnetic field. Because BB is parallel to the hypotenuse, this angle is the acute angle between the base and hypotenuse of the 5-12-135\text{-}12\text{-}13 triangle.

From the triangle,

sinθ=perpendicularhypotenuse=1213\sin \theta = \frac{\text{perpendicular}}{\text{hypotenuse}} = \frac{12}{13}

Now substitute:

F=2×5×102×0.75×1213F = 2 \times 5 \times 10^{-2} \times 0.75 \times \frac{12}{13} F=9130NF = \frac{9}{130} \, \text{N}

If the force is written as x130N\frac{x}{130} \, \text{N}, then x=9x = 9.

Therefore, the correct numerical answer is 99.

Common mistakes

  • Taking sinθ=1\sin \theta = 1 is incorrect. The magnetic field is not perpendicular to the 5cm5 \, \text{cm} side; it is parallel to the 13cm13 \, \text{cm} side. Use the angle from the 5-12-135\text{-}12\text{-}13 triangle, so sinθ=1213\sin \theta = \frac{12}{13}.

  • Using L=5L = 5 instead of L=0.05mL = 0.05 \, \text{m} gives a force larger by a factor of 100100. Always convert centimetres to metres before substitution in F=ILBsinθF = ILB \sin \theta.

  • Using cosθ\cos \theta instead of sinθ\sin \theta is a conceptual error. The magnitude of magnetic force on a current element depends on the perpendicular component of the field, so the correct relation is F=ILBsinθF = ILB \sin \theta.

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