Calculating Force Between Jumper Cables

Explaining the Calculation:

Jumper Cable Setup: Jumper cables consist of a matched pair of wires, typically red and black, joined together along their length. In this scenario, the two wires are separated by 1.2 cm along their 3.7 m length.

Current in the Cables: Each wire carries a current of 150 A, flowing in opposite directions.

Formula Used: The force between the two wires can be calculated using the formula:

F = (μ₀ * i₁ * i₂ * l) / (2 * π * r)

Where:

• F is the force between the wires
• μ₀ is the vacuum permeability constant (4π x 10^-7 H/m)
• i₁ and i₂ are the currents in the cables (150 A each)
• l is the length of the cables (3.7 m)
• r is the radius of the cables (1.2 cm = 0.012 m)

Plugging in Values:

μ₀ = 4π x 10^-7

i₁ = 150 A

i₂ = 150 A

l = 3.7 m

r = 1.2 cm = 0.012 m

Calculating the Force:

F = (4π x 10^-7 * 150 * 150 * 3.7) / (2 * π * 0.012)

F = 1.3875 N

Therefore, the force between the two wires of the jumper cables is 1.3875 Newtons.