Line Integral Detective In 2D

Take some data on the magnetic field (red arrow) that runs perpendicular to a square pipe between two vertical walls, and see what you can figure out about the distribution and magnitude of currents running through that pipe. This file runs in Wolfram's free player as well as in Mathematica.

If this were an assignment we might ask you to log the data that you take in a diary, and then write up your method, observations, and conclusions so that as many people as possible can understand. Even better if you can also make your writeup convincing, original, and entertaining.

This detective challenge offers an opportunity to apply Ampere's Law ∮(OverVector[B]).(OverVector[dl])=(Subscript[μ, o])(Subscript[I, inloop]), as well as the Biot-Savart equation which describes the magnetic field due to a current element, to solving a practical real-world mystery.

Contributed by: P. Fraundorf