Can some one please explain to me why electricity flowing though a copper coil generates a magnetic field or where I could possibly find that information? Are there other materials that produce a magnetic field when a current is run through them in a different shape? Thanks!
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Can some one please explain to me why electricity flowing though a copper coil generates a magnetic field or where I could possibly find that information?
An electric current (a flow of electric charge) has an associated magnetic field regardless of the material (or space) the flow occurs in. This is a fundamental part of electromagnetism, rooted in observation, and quantified in Ampere's Law.
I wish to emphasize that this phenomenon is considered fundamental in nature, which means there cannot be a "more" fundamental explanation (if there were, electromagnetism would not be fundamental).
answered Nov 4, 2012 at 2:42
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This is a very-basic question. There are lot more things to digest than just that in EM..! All because of Maxwell equations...
Both Electric & Magnetic fields are inter-dependent (i.e.) One field requires another (or) one field produces another. The phenomenon is called Electromagnetism. For example, consider an electric charge at rest (static). It produces an electric field. But when the charge is in motion (current), a magnetic field is produced perpendicular to its direction of propagation.
Say, If you pass current through a straight wire, magnetic field is formed around the wire in the form of circular rings (could affect compass or metal fillings nearby). On the other hand, you're passing current through a circular spring-like thing (commonly, a coil) called solenoid, magnetic field is produced along its axis. Simply you could keep in mind that Magnetic field is produced by moving charges (current). This is an observed phenomena and it's explained by Maxwell.
Your last question is "Ok to ask"... Yes, there are a lot of materials (mostly metals) that produce magnetic field when current flows through them. But, Shape is not at all "a matter". It's whether there's a change in the fields that matters...
answered Nov 4, 2012 at 1:43
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$\begingroup$ There are probably more sites available for a basic understanding of EM which you could google. The first one is "Wikipedia"... $\endgroup$ Nov 4, 2012 at 1:47
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$\begingroup$ @Waffle'sCrazyPeanut, what do you mean by "very basic" question? $\endgroup$– PacerierJan 19, 2014 at 7:42
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$\begingroup$ @Pacerier: I meant that the answer to such a question (interdependency of E&M) is the basic principle of electromagnetism. $\endgroup$ Jan 19, 2014 at 8:02
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1$\begingroup$ "Copper" is not important hre. "Wire" is not important. It doesn't even have to be a "flow through a conductor" (for things we normally think of as conductors, anyway). The movement of electrons through a vacuum, such as the beam in a cathode ray tube, also generates a magnetic field. (In tv sets we use that property to focus and sweep the beam.) Heck, it doesn't even have to be electrons: The same thing happens with the beam of protons (positively charged) in a particle accelerator. As WCP said, it's the movement of charges that matters. $\endgroup$ Sep 18, 2016 at 19:23