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Sorry if this question is silly, but in the project that I am working on, I need a current carrying straight wire to produce a magnetic field of 1 Tesla. I need to know if this actually realistic. I've searched online but found nothing.

It could be one single conductor or multiple thin wires carrying current. If it is somehow possible, what would be the best method to do it?

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  • $\begingroup$ Does this help: hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/magnetic/magcur.html $\endgroup$
    – Communisty
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 11:33
  • $\begingroup$ I know how the magnetic field is produced and how strong it is, but my question is how feasible is it to produce such high currents and if there are other methods. $\endgroup$
    – Chandrahas
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 13:02

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The magnetic field strength at a distance $r$ from a wire carrying a current $I$ is given by:

$$ B = \frac{\mu_0 I}{2\pi r} $$

To get a field strength of one tesla at a distance of one cm would require a current of $50,000$ amps. This doesn't seem very feasible.

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  • $\begingroup$ what about multiple wires in the same direction? would that change anything? $\endgroup$
    – Chandrahas
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 12:50
  • $\begingroup$ A bundle of 50 wires each carrying 1000 A would give you the same field, but, you'd still have the same heat dissipation problems as for the single wire carrying 50 000 A. $\endgroup$
    – Philip Wood
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 12:55
  • $\begingroup$ assuming we got around heat dissipation, is it feasible to produce 50 wires with 1000 Amps of current, because I've never seen it being done before and if it is how should I do it? $\endgroup$
    – Chandrahas
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 13:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Chandrahas the LHC magnets only use a current of $11,700$ amps and they are miracles of engineering. You have absolutely no chance of producing the field you want from a straight wire without the resources of an organisation the size of CERN behind you. $\endgroup$
    – John Rennie
    Commented Oct 18, 2017 at 13:59
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks, Got it, but why can a coil produce such large fields, wouldn't that need a higher potential difference due to the large resistance? So is the problem with the straight wire configuration maintaining the potential difference because the current (the flow of charge) quickly neutralizes it? Thanks $\endgroup$
    – Chandrahas
    Commented Oct 19, 2017 at 3:57

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