Wire does a loop of wire create a norh pole and a south pole

In summary, the conversation discusses how a loop of wire with current can behave like a magnet, with a north and south pole. These "poles" are not tangible objects, but rather directions determined by the direction of the current flow.
  • #1
sameeralord
662
3
Hello everyone,

I just read that in a loop of wire if the current is anticlockwise that part is a north pole. I'm just wandering what do they mean by this. I thought only magnets have north poles. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks :smile:
 
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  • #2
Sounds like it's talking about an electromagnet, where a coil of current carrying wire creates a magnetic field the same as that of a bar magnet, with a north and south pole. Looking end on to the electromagnet, the north pole will have an anticlockwise current and the south pole will have a clockwise current.
 
  • #3
sameeralord said:
Hello everyone,

I just read that in a loop of wire if the current is anticlockwise that part is a north pole. I'm just wandering what do they mean by this. I thought only magnets have north poles. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks :smile:

A loop of wire with current and a magnet are very similar from the point of view of their behaviour in an electric field.

It may help to thinkg of "poles" as just an abstraction and not something as "solidly real" as having shape and extension. In fact, the north and south poles are not localized entitities, but rather just "directions". A magnet has an "up" and a "down", and so does a loopwire with current: "up" or "north" is the side of the wire you're looking at when you see the current going counterclockwise. A magnet also has a current flowing on its side surface, so when you look at it from the "north" side you see the side surface current flowing counterclockwise as well.
 

1. How does a loop of wire create a north and south pole?

When an electric current flows through a loop of wire, it generates a magnetic field around the wire. This magnetic field has a north pole and a south pole, just like a bar magnet. The direction of the magnetic field is determined by the direction of the current flow in the wire.

2. Why does the direction of the current flow matter in creating a magnetic field?

The direction of the current flow determines the direction of the magnetic field. If the current flows in one direction, the magnetic field will have a north pole on one side of the loop and a south pole on the other side. If the current flows in the opposite direction, the poles will be reversed.

3. How does the magnetic field affect nearby objects?

The magnetic field created by a loop of wire can interact with other magnetic objects. If another magnet is brought close to the loop, the two magnets will either attract or repel each other depending on the alignment of their poles. This can also cause a compass needle to move.

4. Can a loop of wire create a stronger magnetic field?

Yes, the strength of the magnetic field created by a loop of wire can be increased by increasing the current flow or by adding more loops to the wire. The more current flowing through the wire, the stronger the magnetic field will be.

5. Does the size of the loop of wire affect the strength of the magnetic field?

Yes, the size of the loop of wire can affect the strength of the magnetic field. A larger loop will have a stronger magnetic field compared to a smaller loop with the same amount of current flowing through it. This is because the magnetic field is spread out over a larger area in a larger loop.

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