12.3 Magnetic Fields of Current-Carrying Wires and the Biot-Savart Law

Describe the magnetic field produced by a currentcarrying wire.

• The Biot-Savart law defines the magnitude and direction of a magnetic field created by an electrical current. Relevant equation: )
• The magnetic field vectors around a small segment of a current-carrying wire are tangent to concentric circles centered on that wire. The field has no component toward, away from, or parallel to the segment of the current-carrying wire.
• The Biot-Savart law can be used to derive the magnitudes and directions of magnetic fields around segments of current-carrying wires, for example at the center of a circular loop of wire. Derived equation: µ0IBcenter of loop = 2R TOPIC 12.3 Magnetic Fields of Current-Carrying Wires and the Biot-Savart Law

Describe the force exerted on current-carrying wires by a magnetic field.

• A magnetic field will exert a force on a currentcarrying wire. Relevant equation: BOUNDARY STATEMENT AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism only expects students to perform quantitative analysis of certain cases of current-carrying conductors using the Biot-Savart law, such as at a location along the perpendicular bisector of a straight conductor, at a location along the central axis of a circular loop, or at the center of a segment of a circular loop.