Foundation
Physics Foundation
Magnetism
Question

A current passes through a coil in the anti-clockwise direction. The magnetic field at a point on the axis of the coil is :

  

along the axis away from the centre of the coil

parallel to the plane of the coil

perpendicular to the axis of the coil

along the axis towards the centre of the coil

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Solution

For a circular coil carrying current, the magnetic field on its axis is always along the axis direction. The field's direction is given by the right-hand thumb rule: curl your fingers in the current direction (anti-clockwise here), and your thumb points the field direction along the axis. Since the current is anti-clockwise, the thumb points away from you, meaning the field at a point on the axis is away from the coil's center.

Mathematically, the field magnitude is B=μ0IR22(R2+x2)3/2, and its vector is axial.

Final answer: along the axis away from the centre of the coil