QUESTION IMAGE
Question
take a look
- describe why does a
compass needle move when
it is near a wire with an elec-
tric current running though it?
When an electric current flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic field around the wire (Oersted's discovery). A compass needle is a small magnet. The magnetic field from the current - carrying wire interacts with the magnetic field of the compass needle. According to the laws of magnetism (like poles repel and opposite poles attract), this interaction causes the compass needle to move.
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A compass needle moves when near a current - carrying wire because the electric current in the wire creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field of the compass needle (a small magnet), causing it to move due to the magnetic force of attraction or repulsion.