Question

A Boeing 767 jet has a wingspan of 48 meters and is cruising at 237 m/s over northern Canada, going south, where the magnetic field of the earth is 52 microT, pointing vertically down to the ground perpendicular to the plane.

A.) What is the potential difference between the tips of the two wings due to the magnetic field (in volts)?

Answer 1

(A) Speed of the Boeing jet, v = 237 m/s

Magnetic field, B = 52 micro T = 52 x 10^-6 T

The force on the wing, F(x) = q*v*B

The work done by this force in moving the charges a distance L is
W = F(x)*L = q*v*L*B

The work is also the aquired potential energy change of the charges.

The work per unit charge is the Potential Difference;

Therefore, potential difference = W/q = (q*v*L*B) / q = v*L*B = 237*48*52*10^-6 = 0.591 Volt

So, the potential difference between the tips of the two wings = 0.591 V.