Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-b-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2014/paper-2/section-a/a3/solution

Use turns of mean radius , including the wire radius, on a light nonmagnetic rod. With wire radius , length and density , neglecting helical pitch gives
The last expression is the transverse central moment of inertia of the uniformly distributed turns. The magnetic torque is , so the small-angle magnetic dipole oscillation obeys . Hence
The number of turns cancels. Taking the turn radius as instead gives , consistent at the accuracy of the thin-winding model. The rod's inertia, damping and lead-wire torque are neglected.

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