Magnetic field strength inside a solenoid is the intensity of the magnetic field created within a coil of wire when an electric current passes through it. It is uniform and parallel to the axis of the solenoid.
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The magnetic field strength inside a solenoid is given by $B = \mu_0 n I$, where $B$ is the magnetic field, $\mu_0$ is the permeability of free space, $n$ is the number of turns per unit length, and $I$ is the current.
Inside a long solenoid, the magnetic field strength is uniform and does not depend on the position along its length.
$\mu_0$, the permeability of free space, has a value of approximately $4\pi \times 10^{-7} \, \text{T} \, \text{m/A}$.
The direction of the magnetic field inside a solenoid follows the right-hand rule: if you curl your fingers in the direction of current flow through the coils, your thumb points in the direction of the magnetic field.
Increasing either the current ($I$) or the number of turns per unit length ($n$) will increase the magnetic field strength inside a solenoid.
Review Questions
What formula represents the magnetic field strength inside a solenoid?
How does increasing current affect magnetic field strength in a solenoid?
Explain how to determine the direction of the magnetic field inside a solenoid using your hand.
Related terms
Permeability: A measure of how easily a material can support an external magnetic field. In vacuum or air, this constant is denoted as $\mu_0$.
Ampere's Law: $\oint B \cdot dl = \mu_0 I_{enc}$; This law relates integrated magnetic fields around closed loops to electric currents passing through those loops.
Right-Hand Rule: A mnemonic for understanding orientation conventions for vectors in three dimensions related to electromagnetic phenomena. Used to find directions of fields and forces.
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