Question

A short bar magnet is placed in an external magnetic field of 700 guass. When its axis makes an angle of 30° with the external magnetic field, it experiences a torque of 0.014 Nm. Find the magnetic moment of the magnet, and the work done in moving it from its most stable to most unstable position.

Answer 1

Data : B = 700 gauss = 0.07 tesla, θ = 30°,
τ = 0.014 N∙m
τ = MB sin θ
The magnetic moment of the magnet is
M = \(\frac{\tau}{B \sin \theta}=\frac{(0.014)}{(0.07)\left(\sin 30^{\circ}\right)}\) = 0.4 A∙m²
The most stable state of the bar magnet is for θ = 0°.
It is in the most unstable state when θ = 180°. Thus, the work done in moving the bar magnet from 0° to 180° is
W = MB(cos θ₀ – cos θ)
= MB (cos 0° – cos 180°)
= MB [1 – (-1)]
= 2 MB = (2) (0.4) (0.07)
= 0.056 J
This the required work done.