People immersed in strong unchanging magnetic fields occasionally report sensing a metallic taste. Some investigators suspect that
Question:
People immersed in strong unchanging magnetic fields occasionally report sensing a metallic taste. Some investigators suspect that motion in the constant field could produce a changing flux and a resulting emf that could stimulate nerves in the tongue. We can make a simple model to see if this is reasonable by imagining a somewhat extreme case. Suppose a patient having an MRI is immersed in a \(3.0 \mathrm{~T}\) field along the axis of his body. He then quickly tips his head to the side, toward his right shoulder, tipping his head by \(30^{\circ}\) in the rather short time of \(0.15 \mathrm{~s}\). Estimate the area of the tongue; then calculate the emf that could be induced in a loop around the outside of the tongue by this motion of the head. How does this emf compare to the approximately \(15 \mathrm{mV}\) necessary to trigger an action potential? Does it seem reasonable to suppose that an induced emf is responsible for the noted effect?
Step by Step Answer:
College Physics A Strategic Approach
ISBN: 9780321907240
3rd Edition
Authors: Randall D. Knight, Brian Jones, Stuart Field