Two parallel, straight wires carry equal currents in opposite directions. If the magnetic fields produced by the two wires are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction at a point, what is the resultant magnetic field at that point?
Zero
Magnetic field is a vector quantity, so fields from different sources at the same point add vectorially (superposition principle).
At the given point, the field due to the first wire is B in one direction and the field due to the second wire is B in exactly the opposite direction.
Resultant field = \(B + (-B) = 0\). The two contributions cancel completely.
A doubled field would need the two fields to point the same way; half or unchanged values would need unequal or missing contributions, which is not the case here.
Hence, the answer is Zero.
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Important Questions from Magnetism
- The magnetic field around a straight current-carrying conductor:
Magnetic field is a quantity that has___________________ .
- The right-hand thumb rule is used to find which of the following?
- How are the magnetic field lines arranged inside a current-carrying solenoid?
- What does it mean when magnetic field lines are drawn closer together in a diagram?
