Parallel wires exert magnetic forces on each other. What about perpendicular wires? Imagine two wires oriented perpendicular to each other and almost touching. Each wire carries a current. Is there a force between the wires? Explain what happens in this situation.
Suppose one wire is along the Y axis and the other is along the X axis
The magnetic field acting on the wire segment on the negative x axis is in opposite direction to the magnetic field acting on the wire segment on the positive x axis.
Hence the force on the wire that is on the negative x axis due to the perpendicular wire will cancel out the force on the segment on the wire that is on the positive x axis.
Hence the net force between 2 perpendicular wires will be zero.
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