5H40.40 • Forces on Current in Wires: Lorentz Force

Location: Cabinet 3

Videos Show the Demonstration Apparatus Used by the University of Texas at Austin.

Instructions:

• Set the rod on top of the parallel wires within the magnetic field (grey colored magnet) to see the direction of the magnetic force applied on the rod.
• The top pole of magnet is north, bottom pole of magnet is south

Concept Conveyed:

• Running a current through the rod directly under the magnetic field applies a force on the rod, causing it to roll in a direction consistent with the Lorentz force law and the right hand rule.
• The direction of applied force can be changed by swapping the position of the positive and negative connections, which changes the direction of the current in the separate wire.

Last updated on June 8, 2026