Force experienced by a current-carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field

[Richie91]

I'm a little bit confused about this...i know that when a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force called Lorentz force, this is the formula:

 

F = Bil

 

but the thing i can't understand is whether this FORCE is perpendicular to the magnetic field or the magnetic field is perpendicular to the CURRENT?

 

by the right hand rule, i can see easily that the magnetic field is perpendicular to the force, but in some books and examples it says that the current must be perpendicular to the magnetic field for applies this formula.

[Joatmon]

I'm a little bit confused about this...i know that when a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a force called Lorentz force, this is the formula:

 

F = Bil

 

but the thing i can't understand is whether this FORCE is perpendicular to the magnetic field or the magnetic field is perpendicular to the CURRENT?

 

by the right hand rule, i can see easily that the magnetic field is perpendicular to the force, but in some books and examples it says that the current must be perpendicular to the magnetic field for applies this formula.

 

All three components are mutually at right angles to each other. By the way you should be using the left hand rule for motors. Both of your points raised are therefore true. The force is perpendicular to to the magnetic field and the current is also perpendicular to the magnetic field. Your fingers represent a three directional situation

The diagram (where current is flowing into your computer screen) is from the link:- http://physics.mq.ed...ge/BRIDGE09.pdf

Edited April 8, 2012 by Joatmon

[Enthalpy]

The direction of the magnetic field versus the current isn't simple - just consider that every electric circuit is closed, at least at DC or low requency. What you can say in DC or low frequency is that the magnetic field wraps the current and the current the magnetic field.

 

The local force is perpendicular to both the local current and the local induction. The corresponding mathematical operator is called a vector product, it's zero if current and induction are parallel and maximum if they're perpendicular.