CREATING A UNIFORM MAGNETIC FIELD

2 marks · Normal

A student measures the force on a current-carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field at several positions between the two poles of a magnet. The results are shown below.

Table 1: Force measurements at different positions in the magnetic field
Position	Force (N)
1	0.20
2	0.20
3	0.20

What do these results suggest about the magnetic field in the region tested? Give a reason for your answer.

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The magnetic field is uniform, because the force is the same at each position, indicating a constant field strength.

Must show: Constant force at every position, Uniform field strength

Also accept: Same force means same magnetic field at different positions

Common mistakes: Saying force is large/small without connecting to field uniformity

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Marking points

D1 · 1 mark · Recognises that constant force across positions implies uniform field

D2 · 1 mark · Gives reason: field strength is same at each position so force stays constant

Worked solution

These results show that the force does not change at any position, so the field strength must be the same everywhere tested—this means the field is uniform.