The Biot-Savart Law: From Infinitesimal to Infinite

Authors

Jeffrey A. Phillips, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow
Jeff Sanny, Loyola Marymount UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2008

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss a simple apparatus and accompanying class activity that we have developed to illustrate the Biot-Savart law. Since students in introductory electricity and magnetism courses often find this law a mathematical mystery, we feel that a simple experiment such as this will provide the students a better understanding of the concepts introduced. By collecting data from several finite segment lengths, students are able to infer the 1/r² distance dependence of the magnetic field for infinitesimal segments and the 1/r dependence for infinite wires.

Original Publication Citation

J.A. Phillips and J. Sanny, The Physics Teacher 46, 44 (2008); doi: 10.1119/1.2824000

Publisher Statement

Permission has been granted by The Physics Teacher to supply this article [http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.2824000] for educational and research purposes. More info can be found at http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte. © 2008 American Association of Physics Teachers.

Digital Commons @ LMU & LLS Citation

Phillips, Jeffrey A. and Sanny, Jeff, "The Biot-Savart Law: From Infinitesimal to Infinite" (2008). Physics Faculty Works. 53.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/phys_fac/53