How a current passes through a wire?

[Jia-Lun Wu]

Homework Statement

I am a high school student of Taiwan. I'm investigating the parameters that determine the angular velocity of the strong magnet(RbFeB magnet) of the homopolar motor now.
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And what beset me is that I don't know how a current passes through a strong magnet.
I know that the surface of a RbFeB magnet is electroplated with a layer of conductive and metal material.
I wonder if the current passes "through" the magnet or passes along the surface of the magnet. (I don't know how to prove it.)

Thanks for your help!

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[kuruman]

I don't know if RbFeB (without the electroplating) is a conductor or insulator. If it is a conductor, the current passes through the magnet. If it is an insulator, the current passes along the surface. The way to "prove" it is (a) look up the electrical properties of RbFeB or (b) get a sample that is not electroplated and measure its resistance.

 

[tomcue]

Hello, as a scientist, I can provide some insight into how a current passes through a wire. When an electric potential difference is applied to a wire, free electrons within the wire are able to move and flow in a particular direction. This movement of electrons is what we refer to as an electric current. In a metal wire, the movement of electrons is facilitated by the presence of free electrons within the metal's atomic structure. These electrons are able to move from one atom to another, creating a continuous flow of current.

Now, in regards to your question about how a current passes through a strong magnet, it is important to understand that a magnet itself does not generate or produce electricity. Rather, it can influence the flow of electrons within a wire. When a wire is placed within a magnetic field, the magnetic field can induce a current within the wire, causing the electrons to flow in a particular direction. This is known as electromagnetic induction.

In the case of your homopolar motor, the RbFeB magnet is likely being used to create a magnetic field that interacts with the wire, causing the wire to rotate and generate motion. The current is passing through the wire, but the magnet is influencing the direction and strength of the current.

In summary, a current passes through a wire when an electric potential difference is applied, causing free electrons to flow in a particular direction. A strong magnet can influence the flow of electrons within a wire through electromagnetic induction. I hope this helps with your investigation. Best of luck!