Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-2-paper-of-the-university-of-oxford/2019/8/b/solution

Put the two coil centres at . By superposition, their axial magnetic field is
Both magnetic field contributions point the same way. Evaluation gives
The corresponding coefficients are and . Each individual magnetic field falls as one moves away from its own coil; their sum is much flatter near the midpoint.
For a single coil, differentiating twice produces . At this vanishes. Thus the pair has by reflection symmetry and by its chosen separation; all odd derivatives vanish there. In fact,
This Helmholtz coil arrangement produces a nearly uniform central magnetic field, useful for controlled charged particle in a uniform magnetic field and magnetic field calibration. The small orbit used below lies within that central region.
Figure 1.
Helmholtz axial magnetic field and a semicircular electron trajectory
. Details.

New to topics? Read the docs here!