Question about magnetic field generation by stream of electron

[rrosenthal]

An electric current going through a wire generates a magnetic field as per the right hand rule. Will a pencil stream of electrons traveling in a vacuum at near light speed also generate a magnetic field--??----Also, what would a hypothetical observer traveling at the same speed and direction as the electrons see---regarding a magnetic field---?

randall rosenthal

 

[ModusPwnd]

Also, what would a hypothetical observer traveling at the same speed and direction as the electrons see---regarding a magnetic field---??

This is a great question that physics people love to answer! They would not see a magnetic field. They would only see an electric field. Crazy huh? Thats how it works and that is why we often refer to the electromagnetic field as a single entity. How much of the electric part and magnetic part you see depends on how fast you are traveling (your frame of reference).

 

[Pseudo Epsilon]

why isn't the electric field affected? And what is the reason for

This is a great question that physics people love to answer! They would not see a magnetic field. They would only see an electric field. Crazy huh? Thats how it works and that is why we often refer to the electromagnetic field as a single entity. How much of the electric part and magnetic part you see depends on how fast you are traveling (your frame of reference).

 

[rrosenthal]

To ModusPwnd-----thank you for your reply. However is you are stationary to the flow of electrons IN VACUUM, would you then see the magnetic field--?---r rosenthal