Magnetic Potential & Magnetic Field

In summary, you attempted to solve the problem by taking into account Ampere's law, Magnetic potential, and then using it to calculate the magnetic field. However, the divergence of A was incorrect and you should have suspected something was wrong when you found that the divergence was only valid for a purely radial field.
  • #1
MMS
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Homework Statement
I'm given an infinite cylinder with radius a. There's a uniformal current density j flowing in the cylinder in the z direction.
I'm asked to find the magnetic field in the following ways
-Ampere's law
-Magnetic potential and then use it to calculate the magnetic field.

The attempt at a solution
Calculating the magnetic field by Ampere's law wasn't a problem.

I got stuck on the second part a little. The attempt is in the file below.
ecQwZ0C.png

nboCntv.png


Help ASAP will be very much appreciated since I have to hand this homework tomorrow.

Thank you!
 
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  • #2
First of all, the divergence of A is a scalar and you are equating it with the current density, which is a vector. Already here you should start suspecting something is wrong. The divergence you quote is also only valid for a purely radial field, not a field in the phi direction.
MMS said:
Help ASAP will be very much appreciated since I have to hand this homework tomorrow.

This really does nothing but to make you appear impatient and only here to complete your homework rather than actually learning something. You will find that our members (who are here to help on a pro bono basis) are usually reluctant to provide help in these cases.
 
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  • #3
Orodruin said:
First of all, the divergence of A is a scalar and you are equating it with the current density, which is a vector. Already here you should start suspecting something is wrong. The divergence you quote is also only valid for a purely radial field, not a field in the phi direction.

This really does nothing but to make you appear impatient and only here to complete your homework rather than actually learning something. You will find that our members (who are here to help on a pro bono basis) are usually reluctant to provide help in these cases.

Apologies. I was pretty frustrated with this question back then as I spent a couple of good hours trying to get to something.
I finally derived some things and I believe I solved it taking your notes into consideration. :)
 

FAQ: Magnetic Potential & Magnetic Field

1. What is magnetic potential?

Magnetic potential is a scalar quantity that describes the energy stored in a magnetic field. It is defined as the work required to move a unit magnetic pole from a reference point to a given point in the magnetic field.

2. How is magnetic potential different from electric potential?

Magnetic potential and electric potential are both measures of the energy associated with a force field, but they differ in the type of force and the type of charge they are associated with. Magnetic potential is associated with magnetic forces and magnetic poles, while electric potential is associated with electric forces and electric charges.

3. What is the relationship between magnetic potential and magnetic field?

The gradient of magnetic potential is equal to the negative of the magnetic field strength. This means that the direction of the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the level curves of the magnetic potential.

4. How is magnetic potential calculated?

Magnetic potential is calculated using the formula U = mB, where U is the magnetic potential, m is the magnetic moment, and B is the magnetic field strength. It can also be calculated using the equation U = μ0m/r, where μ0 is the permeability of free space, m is the magnetic moment, and r is the distance from the reference point.

5. What are some real-world applications of magnetic potential and magnetic field?

Magnetic potential and magnetic field have many practical applications, including MRI machines in medical imaging, particle accelerators in scientific research, and electric motors in various devices and machinery. They are also used in navigation systems, such as compasses, and in data storage devices, such as hard drives.

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