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At each of the two ends of a rod of length 2r, a particle of mass m and charge q is attached. If this rod is rotated about its centre with angular speed ω, the ratio of its magnetic dipole moment to the total angular momentum of this particle is ______.

Asked in GSEB Board July 2015 · Magnetic moment of magnets and loops

Answer: (1) q/(2m)

Step-by-step solution

Given: two particles, each of mass m and charge q, at radius r (the rod is 2r long and turns about its centre), angular speed ω.

Idea: a charge going round a circle is a current loop. It passes any point once per period T=(2π)/ω, so the current it represents is I=q/T=(qω)/(2π).

Moment of one particle: μ₁=IA=(qω)/(2π)×π r²=(qω r²)/2 -- note the π cancels.

Both charges go round the same way, so the two moments add: μ=2μ₁=qω r².

Angular momentum: each particle contributes mr²ω, so L=2mr²ω.

μ/L=(qω r²)/(2mr²ω)=q/(2m).

Every trace of the geometry and the speed has cancelled: for any body whose charge and mass are distributed alike, this ratio is the gyromagnetic ratio q/(2m).

Why the other options are wrong

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