Question

Quite often, connecting wires carrying currents in opposite directions are twisted together in using electrical appliances. Explain how it avoids unwanted magnetic fields.

Answer 1

Connecting wires carrying currents in opposite directions are twisted together in using electrical appliances.If the wire is twisted, then the resultant fields from consecutive twists are in opposite directions. So the cumulative effect over a long length of wire is roughly zero.

Let at any point in between the two wires, B₁ and B₂ be the magnetic field due to wire 1 and wire 2 respectively.

From the diagram, we can see that the net magnetic field due to first turn is into the paper and due to second twisted turn is out of the plane of paper so these fields will cancel each other. Hence if the wire is twisted, then the resultant fields from consecutive twists are in opposite directions. So the cumulative effect over a long length of wire is roughly zero.