In this simulation, you can examine the magnetic field created by the current in a solenoid, which is a cylindrical coil of wire. Instead of using a spiral-shaped coil, the simulation approximates the coil with a stack of seven single loops. The plane of each loop is parallel to the x-z plane, with a radius of either 0.6 m or 0.25 m, and the displayed field is in the x-y plane.

Here are some things to consider.

1. | How does the magnetic field depend on the magnitude of the current? What happens to the magnetic field if the direction of the current is reversed?
2. | Is the direction of the magnetic field consistent with what you obtain using the right-hand rule?
3. | A solenoid is often used when a uniform magnetic field is required. How uniform is the field inside the solenoid? Does the magnitude of the field significantly different at the center of the loop from what it is near the edge of the loop? Compare the uniformity of the field in the solenoid to the field inside a single coil (see the previous simulation).
4. | As with a single current-carrying loop, doubling the current in a solenoid doubles the magnitude of the magnetic field. Does doubling the current affect the shape of the magnetic field in any way? What is the shape of the magnetic field determined by?