Straight Lines of Iron

Electricity and Magnetism Level 2

What causes the iron fragments to form this arrangement?

Electromagnetic induction Static electricity in rubber Earth's magnetic field Copper Wires become permanent magnets

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Calvin Lin by Calvin Lin

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2 solutions

Michael Mendrin
Sep 26, 2015

A wire carrying current creates a circular magnetic field. However, field about the wire drops sharply, i.e. it causes only adjacent iron fragments to align. The wire looks it it moved discretely (discreetly?), exposing the affected iron fragments. Hence we see rows of affected iron filings.

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Surely this is electromagnetism not electromagnetic induction. Electromagnetic induction requires a magnetic field to induce a current in a conductor. Electromagnetism is where the current carrying conductor produces a magnetic field.

Jonathon Murray-Smith - 5 years, 8 months ago

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Agreed. I'd say earth's magnetic field is the only possible answer from the options; the others are all impossible or would exert no effect on the filings.

Ben Markham - 5 years, 7 months ago
Lu Chee Ket
Sep 27, 2015

Magnetic fields superposed to top up between two cables carrying current of opposite phase such as a cable TURNING BACK, alternating between N and S for alternating current otherwise a direct current, following pattern of rings of magnetic field's strength introduced as drawn by scientists:

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s [N S] n s

N repulses N while S also repulses S.

Direct current is less motive activating.

Most probably an alternating current of output of a transformer for heavy loading.

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