Magnetic Effect of electric current
The magnetic effect of electric current is a fascinating
phenomenon in physics. It refers to the creation of a magnetic
field around a conductor carrying an electric current. This
phenomenon was first discovered by Hans Christian Oersted in
1820.
Hans Oersted, in 1820, first discovered that when an electric current is
passed through a conducting wire, a magnetic field is produced around
it. If a compass needle is kept in the vicinity of the current carrying wire,
the needle is found to deflect in a definite direction. If the direction of
current in the wire is reversed, then the direction of deflection of the
needle is reversed.
AB is a wire lying in the north-south direction and connected to a battery
through a rheostat and a tapping key. A compass needle is kept just
below the wire. When the key is open i.e. no current is passed through
the wire, the needle shows no deflection and points in the N-S direction
(i.e. remains parallel to the wire) as shown in figure(a)
When the key is pressed and a current passes in the wire in the direction A to B (i.e.
from south to north) and the north pole (N) of the needle deflects towards the west
as figure(b). Thus, a current (or moving charge) produces a magnetic field. When the
direction of current in the wire is reversed by reversing the terminals of the battery,
the north pole of the needle deflects towards the east as figure(c).
In summary, the magnetic effect of electric current is a fundamental concept with
wide-ranging applications in technology and everyday life.
MAGNETIC FIELD AND MAGNETIC FIELD LINES
All magnets have a space around them in which the force of attraction and repulsion
can be detected. This space is known as magnetic field. We can describe the
magnetic field around a magnet by magnetic field lines. These are the curved paths
along which magnetic force is acting on them in the magnetic field of the bar magnet.
These lines are called magnetic lines of force.
PROPERTIES OF MAGNETIC FIELD LINES:
The list of properties of magnetic field lines of a bar magnet is as follows:
FROM BOOK PAGE NUMBER 89
Magnetic Field Due to a Current in Straight Conductor
Consider the circuit shown here. Here, the conductor is connected to a simple circuit
consisting of a variable resistance, an ammeter and a battery. The top end of the
conductor is connected to the positive end of the battery. The other end of the
conductor is connected to the negative side of the battery. The conductor is passed
through a small sheet of cardboard and we have sprinkled some iron filings on the
cardboard around the conductor.
As soon as we turn on the battery, the current starts flowing. As soon as the current
starts flowing, we see that the iron filings which were randomly arranged around the
conductor start arranging themselves in a specific pattern and the specific pattern is
concentric circles which we have shown in the figure given below. All these concentric
circles have just one centre which is nothing but the conductor itself and from the
centre, the magnetic field originates in the form of concentric circles.
We can find out the direction of the magnetic field with the help of Maxwell’s right
hand thumb rule. This rule says that if you point the thumb in the direction of the
current, then the direction in which your fingers curl the conductor will give you the
direction of the magnetic field.
So, in order to apply the right hand thumb rule, hold a straight conductor in your right
hand such that your thumb points the direction of current of this straight conductor,
then the direction in which fingers are wrapped around this straight conductor is the
direction of the magnetic field. This is shown in the below figure. This we can
understand with the help of the figure given below.
If the conductor is carrying current in an upward direction, then the direction of
the magnetic field will always be in an anticlockwise direction. But if the
conductor is carrying current in a downward direction, then the direction of
the magnetic field will be in a clockwise direction.
What is a Solenoid?
A coil with number of circular turns of insulated copper wire covered closely in
the shape of a cylinder is called a Solenoid.
A solenoid behaves like a bar magnet
solenoid behaves like a bar magnet when electricity is passed THROUGH IT
Like in a bar magnet the field emerge from one end and merge into another.
In a solenoid the field lines behave in the same manner.
One end of solenoid behaves like the magnetic north pole and other end as
magnetic south pole.
Magnetic Field due to a solenoid
From book