Question

Explain the relation between electricity and magnetism. Show an experiment to justify it.

Answer 1

Relation between electricity and magnetism:

1. Danish physicist, Hans Christian Oersted, discovered the relationship between electricity and magnetism. Oersted showed deflection in a compass placed near the current carrying conductor.
2. The source of the electric charge could an electron, a proton, an ion, or any larger body that has an imbalance of positive and negative charges. A stationary point charge has an electric field, but if the charge is set in motion, it also generates a magnetic field.
3. By connecting a wire to a battery and placing it in a magnetic field, the current flowing through the circuit creates an electromagnetic field. Magnetism also produces attraction and repulsion between objects.

Oersted's experiment:

1. When electric current flows through a current-carrying conductor, it produces a magnetic field around it. This can be seen with the help of a magnetic needle which shows deflection. The more the current, the higher the deflection. If the direction of current is reversed, the direction of deflection is also reversed.
2. Electric current passing through a conductor creates a magnetic field around in the form of loops. If the wire is wrapped in a loop stronger magnetic field is created by adding up fields around several segments of the wire.

2.1. An increase in current increases the strength of the magnetic field.

2.2. An increase in the number of loops strengthens the magnetic field.

2.3. An increase in loop diameter also increases the magnetic field strength.

An illustrative diagram of an experiment is shown below.