Missing negative sign in my textbook's answer?

  • #1
mymodded
29
7
Homework Statement
A coil with N turns and area A, carrying a constant current, flips in an external field ##\vec{B}_{ext}## , so that its dipole moment switches from opposition to the field to alignment with the field. During this process, induction produces a potential difference that tends to reduce the current in the coil. Calculate the work done by the coil's power supply to maintain the constant current.
Relevant Equations
## W = \int_{\theta_{i}}^{\theta_{f}} \tau (\theta) d\theta ##
or
## U(\theta) = -NiABcos(\theta)##
the question is fairly easy to solve, integrating ##NiAB sin(\theta)## from ##\pi## to 0 or just do ##-NiAB(cos(0) - cos(\pi))## which gives you -2NiAB, but my textbook did not include the negative sign, is it mistaken?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Your minus answer is the work external force did. Battery cell did minus counter work, so it is plus.
 
Back
Top