Why will current flow obliquely (Irodov Problem)?

In summary, the question involves a thin conducting strip wound into a solenoid shape with a direct current flowing through it. The solution states that the current will flow obliquely in the strip, resulting in two perpendicular components of current density. This is necessary due to the configuration of the solenoid and the resulting helical path of current flow. The two components lead to a purely axial internal magnetic field and an external circular magnetic field. This distribution can be determined using cylindrical coordinates. The initial confusion was due to misunderstanding the reference point of "obliquely." Thank you to those who provided assistance in clarifying this concept.
  • #1
ShakyAsh
6
0
So i was doing a question from Irodov(Q 3.238) & got stuck for hours (as expected)

The question goes -
A thin conducting strip of width h is tightly wound in the shape of a very long coil with cross-section radius R to make a single layer straight solenoid. A direct current I flows through the strip. Find the magnetic induction inside and outside the solenoid as a function of the distance r from its axis.

After looking at the solution, it said that current will flow obliquely in the strip i.e. current density will have two perpendicular components.

I don't understand this. Why is it necessary that current will flow obliquely & not along the length?
And if this is the case, then current should flow obliquely in all 2-D objects.

Also, I would like to know how do we determine this kind of current distribution(like in 3-D & other 2-D objects).
 
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  • #2
Do you have a sketch of the setup?

I would expect that current density is nearly constant along the strip and in strip direction, if the frequency is not too high and the magnetic field not too strong.
 
  • #3
ShakyAsh said:
The question goes -
A thin conducting strip of width h is tightly wound in the shape of a very long coil with cross-section radius R to make a single layer straight solenoid. A direct current I flows through the strip. Find the magnetic induction inside and outside the solenoid as a function of the distance r from its axis.

After looking at the solution, it said that current will flow obliquely in the strip i.e. current density will have two perpendicular components.

I don't understand this. Why is it necessary that current will flow obliquely & not along the length?

Where is obliquely defined? Most likely it is in reference to the resulting solenoid axis of symmetry, not the strip itself. Current is forced to flow along the strip. You have then a helical path of current flow, with tanθ = 2πR/h, θ being the projected angle of current flow at any point on the solenoid, wrt solenoid axis. Now take advantage of the properties of the two components of current flow. One of relative magnitude sinθ is the solenoidal current that generates a purely axial, uniform, and internal-only B field. The other, of relative magnitude cosθ, is the axial flow component that yields an external-only circular B field a la Biot-Savart formula for straight wire of radius R. This assumes a very thin strip so we can ignore any B field profile through the strip thickness. My take anyway - accepting no responsibility if it's a wrong steer!
And if this is the case, then current should flow obliquely in all 2-D objects.
Also, I would like to know how do we determine this kind of current distribution(like in 3-D & other 2-D objects).
Wrong take on the situation I would suggest.
 
  • #4
ShakyAsh said:
So i was doing a question from Irodov(Q 3.238) & got stuck for hours (as expected)

The question goes -
A thin conducting strip of width h is tightly wound in the shape of a very long coil with cross-section radius R to make a single layer straight solenoid. A direct current I flows through the strip. Find the magnetic induction inside and outside the solenoid as a function of the distance r from its axis.

After looking at the solution, it said that current will flow obliquely in the strip i.e. current density will have two perpendicular components.

I don't understand this. Why is it necessary that current will flow obliquely & not along the length?
And if this is the case, then current should flow obliquely in all 2-D objects.

Also, I would like to know how do we determine this kind of current distribution(like in 3-D & other 2-D objects).
I think you misunderstood them. It is oblique relative to the cylinder not to the strip's longitudinal axis.
The components of the current density are given in cylindrical coordinates, along the z direction (axis of the cylinder) and tangent to the cylinder.
 
  • #5
Q-reeus said:
Where is obliquely defined? Most likely it is in reference to the resulting solenoid axis of symmetry, not the strip itself. Current is forced to flow along the strip. You have then a helical path of current flow, with tanθ = 2πR/h, θ being the projected angle of current flow at any point on the solenoid, wrt solenoid axis. Now take advantage of the properties of the two components of current flow. One of relative magnitude sinθ is the solenoidal current that generates a purely axial, uniform, and internal-only B field. The other, of relative magnitude cosθ, is the axial flow component that yields an external-only circular B field a la Biot-Savart formula for straight wire of radius R. This assumes a very thin strip so we can ignore any B field profile through the strip thickness. My take anyway - accepting no responsibility if it's a wrong steer!
How could i miss that? Yeah you're absolutely correct, Thank you very much.
Q-reeus said:
Wrong take on the situation I would suggest.
Yeah, just ignore that part.

nasu said:
I think you misunderstood them. It is oblique relative to the cylinder not to the strip's longitudinal axis.
The components of the current density are given in cylindrical coordinates, along the z direction (axis of the cylinder) and tangent to the cylinder.
Now, I just feel like a fool.

Thank You very much people. I appreciate you're help.
 

FAQ: Why will current flow obliquely (Irodov Problem)?

Why does current flow obliquely in certain situations?

Current flow can be influenced by the direction of the electric field, which can cause it to flow in a diagonal or oblique direction. This is known as the Lorentz force, where a charged particle experiences a force when moving through a magnetic field. The direction of the force is perpendicular to both the direction of the current and the magnetic field.

How does the direction of the magnetic field affect current flow obliquely?

The direction of the magnetic field can determine the direction of the Lorentz force and therefore the direction of the current. If the magnetic field is at an angle to the direction of the current, the force will also be at an angle, causing the current to flow obliquely.

Is current flow always affected by the magnetic field?

No, current flow is only affected by the magnetic field if the charged particles are moving through the field. If the charged particles are stationary or moving in a direction parallel to the magnetic field, there will be no force acting on them and the current will not be affected.

Can the strength of the magnetic field change the angle of current flow?

Yes, the strength of the magnetic field can affect the angle of current flow. A stronger magnetic field will result in a stronger Lorentz force, causing the current to flow at a greater angle. This can be observed in various experiments, such as the deflection of a charged particle in a cathode ray tube.

Are there any practical applications for current flow obliquely?

Yes, there are several practical applications for current flow obliquely. One example is in particle accelerators, where charged particles are accelerated by moving through a series of magnetic fields at different angles. This allows for precise control and manipulation of the particles' trajectories. In addition, current flow obliquely is also utilized in devices such as magnetic compasses and electromagnetic sensors.

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