Magnets vibrating near a current?

In summary, during a practical at school, moving a small 1.5T block magnet near a rheostat caused the magnet to vibrate. This is due to the current generated by the magnet, which can be treated as a magnet itself according to Ampere's Law. Therefore, the original magnet vibrated due to the force of magnetic attraction or repulsion from the current.
  • #1
Energize
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In school yesterday I was doing a practical and when I moved a small 1.5T block magnet near a rheostat the magnet started vibrating, why does it do this?
 
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  • #2
Energize said:
In school yesterday I was doing a practical and when I moved a small 1.5T block magnet near a rheostat the magnet started vibrating, why does it do this?
If you have a current, then that current will always generate a magnetic field. The formula for how big the magnetic field would be is given by Ampere's Law. So basically, you can treat the current as if it were a magnet too. So your original block magnet started to vibrate because it felt a force of magnetic attraction to or repulsion from your current.
 
  • #3


This phenomenon is known as electromagnetic induction. When a magnet is moved near a conducting material, such as the wire in a rheostat, it creates a changing magnetic field. This changing magnetic field induces a current in the wire, which in turn creates its own magnetic field. These two magnetic fields interact with each other, causing the magnet to vibrate. This is a demonstration of the fundamental principles of electromagnetism and is commonly observed in experiments involving magnets and electrical circuits.
 

1) How do magnets vibrate near a current?

Magnets vibrate near a current due to the interaction between the magnetic field of the magnets and the magnetic field created by the current. This interaction causes the magnets to experience a force, resulting in vibrations.

2) What causes magnets to vibrate near a current?

The movement of charged particles, such as electrons, in the current creates a magnetic field around the current. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic field of the magnets, causing them to vibrate.

3) Can magnets vibrate near a current without a physical connection?

Yes, magnets can vibrate near a current without a physical connection. This is because the magnetic field created by the current can travel through space and interact with the magnetic field of the magnets.

4) How does the strength of the current affect the vibrations of magnets?

The strength of the current directly affects the strength of the magnetic field it produces. Therefore, a stronger current will result in a stronger interaction with the magnets and potentially cause them to vibrate more vigorously.

5) Are there any practical applications for magnets vibrating near a current?

Yes, there are several practical applications for this phenomenon. One example is in devices such as speakers, where an electrical current passing through a wire creates a magnetic field that interacts with a permanent magnet, causing vibrations that produce sound waves. Another application is in generators, where the movement of a magnet near a wire creates an electrical current through electromagnetic induction.

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