Two parallel wires carry currents in the same direction. What is the nature of the force between them?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Two parallel wires carry currents in the same direction. What is the nature of the force between them?
Attractive
Repulsive
No force
Depends on the current
When two parallel wires carry currents in the same direction, they exert an attractive force on each other due to the magnetic fields they create.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: Two parallel wires carry currents in the same direction. What is the nature of the force between them?
Solution: When two parallel wires carry currents in the same direction, they exert an attractive force on each other due to the magnetic fields they create.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that when electric current flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic field around the wire.
Step 2: Recognize that if you have two parallel wires, each carrying current, they will each create their own magnetic field.
Step 3: Note that the direction of the magnetic field created by each wire depends on the direction of the current flowing through it.
Step 4: Since both wires are carrying current in the same direction, the magnetic fields they create will interact with each other.
Step 5: The interaction of these magnetic fields causes the wires to exert a force on each other.
Step 6: Specifically, when the currents are in the same direction, the force between the two wires is attractive, meaning they pull towards each other.