Electromagnets

Objectives
• Describe Hans Christian Ørsted’s discovery about
current-carrying wires.

• Investigate and describe the relationship between

electric current and magnetic fields in wires and
solenoids.

• Describe how electromagnets are used in many

applications.
Assessment
1. Which of the scientists listed below discovered that
current-carrying wires create magnetic fields?
A.Hans Christian Ørsted
B.Michael Faraday
C.James Clerk Maxwell
D.Alessandro Volta
Physics terms
• magnetic field

• solenoid

• electromagnet

• polarity
The missing link
Before 1820, scientists suspected that
electricity and magnetism were related,
but they had no proof.

Can you think of any similarities between

electricity and magnetism that made
scientists suspect a link?
Ørsted’s discovery
During a lecture in 1820, Danish physicist
Hans Christian Ørsted finally discovered the
connection. I
A magnetic compass was lying near a wire.
When he turned on the electric current in the
wire, he saw the compass needle deflect.

A current-carrying wire
creates a magnetic field!
Currents create magnetism
Current-carrying wires create
magnetic fields.

But what do these fields look like?

Currents create magnetism
Current-carrying wires create
magnetic fields.

But what do these fields look like?

They circle around the wires!

Currents create magnetism
The magnetic field circles
around the current-carrying
wire, and points tangent to
the circle.
Currents create magnetism
The magnetic field circles direction of
around the current-carrying electric current
wire, and points tangent to
the circle.

But which way does it circle? direction of

Here are two possibilities: magnetic field??
Direction of magnetic fields
Use the right-hand rule to find the
direction of the magnetic field.

• Point the thumb of your

right hand in the direction
of the current.

• Fingers curling around the

wire point in the direction
of the magnetic field.
Strength of magnetic fields
Think, pair, share: direction of
electric current
What factors might affect the strength
of the magnetic field around the wire? direction of
magnetic field
Strength of magnetic fields
Think, pair, share: direction of
electric current
What factors might affect the strength
of the magnetic field around the wire? direction of
magnetic field
• The field gets stronger
as the current increases.

• The field is stronger

closer to the wire.
The solenoid
The magnetic field around a single
wire may not be very strong.

A solenoid uses many loops of

current-carrying wire to create a
stronger magnetic field.
Electromagnets
Electromagnets are made by
wrapping a coil of wire around
a iron core.

The iron core makes the

magnet even stronger.
Electromagnet polarity
Which end is north?

To determine the magnetic North and

South poles of an electromagnet, use
another right hand rule:

• Wrap fingers around the coil in

the direction of the current.

• Your thumb points in the

direction of the North pole.
Applications of electromagnets
Electromagnets have many useful
applications, such as:
• motors
• computer hard drives

The strength and polarity of

electromagnets can be controlled by
the adjusting the amount and direction
of current and number of loops.
Applications of electromagnets
This short video shows an
electromagnet attached to a
crane. It is being used to
move scrap metal (page 553).
What else?
THINK:

If electric currents can create magnetic fields,

what ELSE might be true?

Hint: it is something VERY useful!

Electric generators
Magnetic fields can create
electric currents!

English physicist Michael

Faraday demonstrated this
opposite effect in 1822.

This is how electric generators

create the electricity that runs
our homes and businesses.
Who else contributed?
By 1861 Scottish physicist
James Clerk Maxwell had a
complete theory of
electromagnetism.

He summarized in his theory in

four equations, now known as
Maxwell’s equations.