Question

A wire formed in the shape of a right triangle with base L_ab = 36 cm and height L_bc = 60 cm carries current I = 477 mA as shown in Position 1. The wire is located in a region containing a constant magnetic field B = 1.11 T aligned with the positive z-axis.

1. What is F_ac,x, the x-component of the force on the segment of the wire that connects points a and c in Position 1?

2. What is F_ac,y, the y-component of the force on the segment of the wire that connects points a and c in Position 1?

3. The wire is now rotated 180^o about the y-axis to Position 2, as shown. What is ΔU₁₂, the change in potential energy of the wire? Note that ΔU₁₂ is a signed number. ΔU₁₂ is positive if the potential energy in Position 2 is higher than the potential energy in Position 1.

4. The wire is now rotated back 90^o about the y-axis towards position 1. If the wire is released from this position, how would it move?

a. It would rotate towards Position 1

b .It would rotate towards Position 2

c. It would remain stationary

5. The wire is now returned to Position 1 and then rotated 180^o about the x-axis to Position 3, as shown. What is ΔU₁₃, the change in potential energy of the wire? If the potential energy increases in going from Position 1 to Position 3, the change in potential energy is positive.

Answer 1