The Magnetic Field

around an Electromagnet
An electromagnet consists of an iron core placed inside a solenoid.

When current flows through the wire and creates a magnetic field, it also magnetises the iron core.
The iron core remains magnetic while current flows through the wire.

The magnetic field around an electromagnet is stronger than that of a solenoid.

Inside the electromagnet Outside the electromagnet

◣ parallel field lines ◥ looped field lines

◣ strongest magnetic field ◥ weaker magnetic field
◣ field lines are ◥ field lines are
close together further apart

iron core

solenoid
magnetic field line
direction of conventional current

The strength of the magnetic field around an electromagnet can be increased by increasing the
current flowing through the coil of wire.

The direction of the magnetic field can be reversed by reversing the current flowing through the
loop of wire.

The direction of the conventional current can be used to determine the location of the magnetic poles
of the electromagnet.

At the north pole of

At the south pole
an electromagnet,
of an electromagnet,
conventional
conventional current
current flows in
flows in a clockwise
an anticlockwise
direction.
direction.