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Does an electric field exert a force on a straight current-carrying wire?

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Final answer:

Yes, an electric field does exert a force on a straight current-carrying wire. This force can be calculated using the equation F = I * L * B * sin(theta), where F is the force, I is the current, L is the length of the wire, B is the magnetic field strength, and theta is the angle between the current and the magnetic field. The force can be large enough to move the wire.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, an electric field does exert a force on a straight current-carrying wire. When a wire carrying an electric current is placed in a magnetic field, a force is exerted on the wire. This force is given by the equation F = I * L * B * sin(theta), where F is the force, I is the current, L is the length of the wire in the magnetic field, B is the magnetic field strength, and theta is the angle between the current and the magnetic field. The force on the wire can be calculated using the right-hand rule. This force can be large enough to move the wire, as typical currents consist of very large numbers of moving charges.

User Jakub Wrona
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