- #1
thowonasweaterandgo
- 13
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Hello, I have a quick question. Why is it that a magnetic field has an effect on a current or moving charge, but not on a stationary charge?
thowonasweaterandgo said:you lost me on the last sentence there.
A charge in a magnetic field experiences a force . Doesn't matter if you are on a large scale or small. Same thing happens.on an atomic level,
thowonasweaterandgo said:thanks for the reply btw, I really appreciate it. I know it's a fact that currents and magnets create and feel forces from magnetic fields, while stationary electric charges do not.
What I don't understand is what it is about a moving charge as opposed to a stationary one that makes this true? I guess I'm asking what, on an atomic level, is going on here?
A magnetic field is an invisible force field created by moving electric charges, such as electrons. It exerts a force on other moving electric charges and can be visualized by using iron filings or a compass needle.
Magnetic fields and currents are closely related, as moving electric charges create magnetic fields and changing magnetic fields can induce electric currents. This relationship is described by Maxwell's equations.
A permanent magnet is made of a material that is naturally magnetic, such as iron or magnetite, and retains its magnetic properties without the need for an external power source. An electromagnet, on the other hand, is created by running an electric current through a coiled wire, which produces a magnetic field but requires a power source to maintain it.
Magnetic fields exert a force on charged particles, causing them to move in a circular or helical path. The strength and direction of this force depends on the charge of the particle, its velocity, and the strength and direction of the magnetic field.
Magnetic fields have many practical applications in everyday life, such as in motors and generators, speakers and headphones, credit cards and magnetic strip readers, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. They are also used in compasses for navigation and in various industrial and scientific processes.