Moving Charges and Magnetism

MCQs
Q1. Biot-Savart law indicates that the moving electrons (velocity v) produce a magnetic field B such
that

(a) B ⊥ v.
(b) B || v.
(c) it obeys inverse cube law.
(d) it is along the line joining the electron and point of observation

Q2. The coil of a moving coil galvanometer is wound over a metal frame in order to

(a) Reduce hysteresis

(b) Increase the sensitivity
(c) Increase moment of inertia
(d) Provide electromagnetic damping

Q3. Two wires of same length are shaped into a square of side ‘a’ and circle of radius ‘r’. If they carry
same current, the ratio of the magnetic moment is

(a) 2: π
(b) π: 2
(c) π: 4
(d) 4: π

Q4. The nature of parallel and anti-parallel currents are

(a) Parallel current repels and anti-parallel current attract

(b) Parallel current attracts and anti-parallel current repel
(c) Both current attract
(d) Both current repel.

Q5. Two parallel conductors carrying ‘i’ current in the same direction what will be the force being
experienced by each conductor (r = distance between the conductors)

𝜇0 2𝑖
(a) Repulsion and 4𝜋𝑟
𝜇 𝑖
(b) Repulsion and 4𝜋2𝑟
0

𝜇0 𝑖 2
(c) Attraction and 2𝜋𝑟
𝜇0 𝑖
(d) Attraction and 4𝜋2𝑟

Q6. An electric current is flowing through a circular coil of radius R. The ratio of the magnetic field at
the centre of the coil and that at a distance 2√2𝑅 from the centre of the coil and on its axis is

(a) 2√2
(b) 27
(c) 36
(d) 8
Q7. Force on a current carrying conductor in a magnetic field is

(a) BIL tan ϴ

(b) BI / Lsin ϴ
(c) BILsin ϴ
(d) BILcos ϴ

Q8. What is the magnitude of magnetic force per unit length on a wire carrying a current of 4 amperes
and making an angle of 30º with the direction of magnetic field of 2T?

(a) 2 N/m
(b) 3 N /m
(c) 4 N/m
(d) 5 N/m

Q9. An electron is projected with uniform velocity along the axis of a current carrying long solenoid.
Which of the following is true?

(a) The electron will be accelerated along the axis.

(b) The electron path will be circular about the axis.
(c) The electron will experience a force at 45° to the axis and hence execute a helical-path.
(d) The electron will continue to move with uniform velocity along the axis of the solenoid.

Q10. A rectangle loop carrying a current (i) is situated near a long straight wire such that the wire is
parallel to the one of the sides of the loop and is in the plane of the loop. If a steady current i is
established in wire as shown in the figure below, the loop will

(a) Rotate about an axis parallel to the wire

(b) Move away from the wire or towards right
(c) Move towards the wire or towards left
(d) Remain stationary

Q11. The current sensitivity of a galvanometer increases by 20%. If its resistance also increases by
20%, the voltage sensitivity will be

(a) Decrease by 1%
(b) Increased by 10%
(c) Increased by 5%
(d) Decrease by 4%

Q12. A freely suspended magnet aligns in which direction?

 (a) South-West
(b) East-West
(c) North-South
(d) North-West

Q13. A permanent magnet has the capacity to attract

(a) All substances

(b) Only other permanent magnets
(c) Only ferrormagnetic substances
(d) None of the above

Q14. Magnetic field at the centre of a circular current carrying conductor/coil is given by (I is the
magnitude of the current flowing through the coil and r is the radius of the coil)
𝜇0 𝐼
(a) 𝐵 = 2𝑟
𝜇0 𝐼
(b) 𝐵 = 2𝜋𝑟
𝐼
(c) 𝐵 = 2𝑟
𝜇0 𝑟𝐼
(d) 𝐵 = 2

Q15. SI unit of the magnetic field is ___________

(a) dyne
(b) ohm
(c) tesla
(d) volt

Assertion-Reason
Select the correct answer to these questions from the codes (a), (b), (c) and (d) are as given below

(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false and R is also false.

Q1. Assertion: Difference between an electric line and magnetic line of force is that electric lines of
force are discontinuous and the magnetic field lines are continuous.
Reason: Electric lines of forces do not exist inside a charged conductor but magnetic lines exist
inside a magnet

Q2. Assertion: A current carrying solenoid behaves like a bar magnet.

Reason: The circular loop in which the direction of current is clockwise behaves like the South
Pole and the one having anticlockwise current behaves like the North Pole

Q3. Assertion: Permanent magnets retain their ferromagnetic property for a long period of time.
Reason: Steel is a diamagnetic material

Q4. Assertion: When a bar magnet is hung freely it points toward geographical poles.
 Reason: Magnetic field lines do not intersect

Q6. Assertion: A diamagnetic specimen would move towards the weaker region of the field.
Reason: A diamagnetic specimen is repelled by a magnet.

Q7. Assertion: Two parallel conducting wires carrying currents in same direction, come close to each
other.
Reason: Parallel currents attract and anti-parallel currents repel.

Q7. Assertion: When a bar magnet is kept in an external uniform magnetic field, it starts oscillating.
Reason: A restoring torque acts on the dipole when kept in the magnetic field.

Q8. Assertion: Two parallel wires carrying currents in the opposite direction, attract each other.
Reason: Parallel currents repel and antiparallel currents attract.

Q9. Assertion: For a current carrying wire loop of N turns, placed in a region of a uniform magnetic
field B, the torque acting on it is given by m x B.
Reason: Whenever the magnetic moment m is perpendicular to B, then torque on the loop will
be zero

Q10. Assertion: Galvanometer can as such be used as an ammeter to measure the value of the
current in given circuit
Reason: It gives a full-scale deflection for a current of the order of ampere.

Q11. Assertion: Paramagnetic materials can exhibit magnetism.

Reason: Paramagnetic materials have permanent magnetic dipole moments.

Case study-based question

Stationary charge creates an electric field but a moving charge creates a magnetic field also that can
affect other moving charges. It was observed by Oersted. He saw that if a magnetic needle is placed near
current carrying wire it shows slight deflection. The direction of the magnetic field can be determined by
using the right-hand thumb rule. Magnetic field is the space around a magnet, a current carrying conductor
up to which it can attract or repel magnetic material. Force on a moving charge in magnetic field is given
by the formula
𝐹⃗ = q (𝑣⃗ X 𝐵⃗ )
Where, q = charge on particle, v = velocity of charge particle, B = magnetic field and F = magnetic force
When a current carrying conductor is placed in an external magnetic field, it experiences a mechanical
force. A conductor of length 1 carrying current I held in a magnetic field B at an angle θ with it, experiences
a force given by F = I l B sin θ.

Q1. Moving charge can create

(a) Electric field

(b) magnetic field
(c) Both electric and magnetic field
(d) none of them
Q2. If a current is flowing from south to north in a straight wire what will be the direction of magnetic
field to its left side

(a) Outward
(b) inward
(c) Towards right
(d) towards left

Q3. Which of the following cannot be the source of magnetic field?

(a) Current carrying wire

(b) moving electron
(c) Moving proton
(d) stationary charge

Q4. Force acting on a conductor of length 10 m carrying a current of 6A kept perpendicular to the
magnetic field of 2T is

(a) 60N
(b) 120N
(c) 90N
(d) 100N

The directional property of magnets was also known since ancient times. A thin long piece of a magnet,
when suspended freely, pointed in the north-south direction. Magnetic field is responsible for the most
notable property of a magnet. It is a force that pulls on other ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, steel,
nickel, cobalt, etc., and attracts or repels other magnets. Magnet's magnetic moment is a vector that
characterises the magnet's overall magnetic properties. It is also called magnetic dipole moment and
usually denoted by m. For a bar magnet, the direction of the magnetic moment points from the magnet's
south to north pole and the magnitude relates to how strong and how far apart these poles are.

Q1. In a uniform magnetic field, the net magnetic force on the dipole

(a) Is always zero

(b) Depends on the orientation of the dipole
(c) Can never be zero
(d) Depends on the strength of the dipole

Q2. Torque acting on a magnetic dipole in uniform magnetic field at an acute angle is

(a) Zero
(b) Nonzero
(c) Equal to force
(d) None of these

Q3. The magnetic dipole moment of a circular coil current carrying I and area Ais

(a) IA
(b) NIA
(c) μ0nI
 (d) nIAB

Seema wound a very long insulated copper wire on a plastic pipe and carefully took the pipe out. The two
ends of the copper wires are then attached to a battery. This cylindrical shape of copper wire is called a
solenoid and this solenoid is used in several devices such as door bell, door locks, speakers etc. The
magnetic field of a solenoid is given below

The magnetic field strength of a solenoid having n turns is B =μ0nI, where, I is the current flowing in the
solenoid, n is number of turns per unit length and μ0 is the permeability of free space.

Q1. A long solenoid has 400 turns per meter and it is used as an electromagnet. If 1.5A current is
flowing through it, what is the strength of the electromagnet

(a) 0.008 T
(b) 0.4 T
(c) 0.6 T
(d) 0.007 T

Q2. The strength of magnetic field in a solenoid cannot be affected by

(a) Increasing its length

(b) Decreasing the value of current
(c) Decreasing the number of turns
(d) None of these

Q3. The strength of magnetic field outside a solenoid is

(a) Infinity
(b) Zero
(c) Double the value of field inside
(d) Half the value of the field inside

1 Mark Questions
Q1. Write the expression, in a vector form, for the Lorentz magnetic force 𝐹⃗ due to a charge moving
⃗⃗ . What is the direction of the magnetic force?
with velocity 𝑣⃗ in a magnetic field 𝐵

Q2. What is the underlying principle of a moving coil galvanometer?

Q3. Two identical charged particles moving with same speed enter a region of uniform magnetic field.
If one of these enters normal to the field direction and the other enters along a direction at 30º
with the field. What would be the ratio of their angular frequencies?

Q4. An electron, passing through a region is not deflected. Are you sure that there is no magnetic field
in that region?

Q5. Torque acting on a coil is maximum when the coil area vector is:

(a) Parallel to the magnetic field

(b) At an angle of 30° to the magnetic field
(c) At any orientation in a uniform magnetic field
(d) Perpendicular to the magnetic field

Q6. A long current carrying solenoid produces a magnetic field B along its axis. If the current
is halved and number of turns/cm is doubled, the magnetic field becomes
𝐵
(a) 2
(b) 𝐵
(c) 8𝐵
(d) 2𝐵

Q7. Two 𝛼 −particles have the ratio of their velocities as 3 ∶ 2 on entering the uniform magnetic
field. If they move in different circular paths, then the ratio of the radii of their paths is

(a) 2∶3
(b) 3∶2
(c) 9∶4
(d) 4∶9

Q8. A charged particle is moving on circular path with velocity v in a uniform magnetic field B,
if the velocity of the charged particle is doubled and the strength of the magnetic field is
halved, then radius becomes

(a) 8 times
(b) 4 times
(c) 2 times
(d) 16 times

2 Marks Questions
Q1. A current carrying loop is free to turn in a uniform magnetic field B. Under what conditions, will the
torque acting on it be (i) minimum and (ii) maximum?

Q2. A current carrying loop is free to turn in a uniform magnetic field B. Under what conditions, will the
torque acting on it be (i) minimum and (ii) maximum?

Q3. An ammeter of resistance 0.6 Ω can measure current up to 1.0 A.

Calculate:
 (i) The shunt resistance required to enable the ammeter to measure current up to 5.0 A
(ii) The combined resistance of the ammeter and the shunt.

Q4. A wire AB is carrying a steady current of 6A and is lying on the table. Another wire CD carrying
4A is held directly above AB at a height of 1mm. Find the mass per unit length of the wire CD so
that it remains suspended at its position when left free. Give the direction of the current flowing in
CD with respect to that in AB. [Take the value of g=10ms-2]

3 Marks Questions
Q1. A long straight wire AB carries a current I. A proton P levels with a speed V, parallel to the wire at
a distance d from it in a direction opposite to the current. What is the force experienced by the
proton and what is its direction?

5 Marks Questions
Q1. (i) Explain using a labelled diagram the principle and working of a moving coil galvanometer.
What is the function of (a) uniform radial magnetic field (b) soft iron core?

(ii) Define the terms (a) Current sensitivity (b) Voltage sensitivity

(iii) Explain why does increasing the current sensitivity not necessarily increases the voltage
sensitivity

Q2. A rectangular loop of wire as shown in the figure of size 4cm x

10cm carries a steady current of 2A A straight long wire carrying
5A current is kept near the loop as shown fig. If the loop and
the wire are coplanar find (a) Write an expression for torque.
(b)The torque acting on the loop and (c) the magnitude and
direction of the Force on loop due to the current carrying wire

MCQ Type Questions

1. A freely suspended magnet aligns in which direction?

(e) South-West
(f) East-West
(g) North-South
(h) North-West
2. A permanent magnet has the capacity to attract

(e) All substances

(f) Only other permanent magnets
(g) Only ferrormagnetic substances
(h) None of the above

3. Magnetic field at the centre of a circular current carrying conductor/coil is given by (I is the
magnitude of the current flowing through the coil and r is the radius of the coil)
𝜇0 𝐼
(e) 𝐵 = 2𝑟
𝜇0 𝐼
(f) 𝐵 = 2𝜋𝑟
𝐼
(g) 𝐵 = 2𝑟
𝜇0 𝑟𝐼
(h) 𝐵 = 2

4. SI unit of the magnetic field is ___________

(e) dyne
(f) ohm
(g) tesla
(h) volt

1 Mark Questions
1. Torque acting on a coil is maximum when the coil area vector is:

(e) Parallel to the magnetic field

(f) At an angle of 30° to the magnetic field
(g) At any orientation in a uniform magnetic field
(h) Perpendicular to the magnetic field

2. A long current carrying solenoid produces a magnetic field B along its axis. If the current is
halved and number of turns/cm is doubled, the magnetic field becomes
𝐵
(e) 2
(f) 𝐵
(g) 8𝐵
(h) 2𝐵

3. Two 𝛼 −particles have the ratio of their velocities as 3 ∶ 2 on entering the uniform magnetic field.
If they move in different circular paths, then the ratio of the radii of their paths is

(e) 2∶3
(f) 3∶2
(g) 9∶4
(h) 4∶9
4. A charged particle is moving on circular path with velocity v in a uniform magnetic field B, if the
velocity of the charged particle is doubled and the strength of the magnetic field is halved, then
radius becomes

(e) 8 times
(f) 4 times
(g) 2 times
(h) 16 times

2 Marks Questions
1. Derive the expression for the torque acting on an electric dipole, when it is held in a uniform
electric field. Identify the orientation of the dipole in the electric field, in which it attains a stable
equilibrium.