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Q:
HOW ARE ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM RELATED?
- Anonymous
A:
That's a great question. Here's some of the ways. When an electric
current flows, it makes a magnetic field around it. A magnetic field is
one that can push, pull or twist magnets. When a magnet moves, it makes
an electric field. An electric field pushes or pulls charged particles,
like electrons. Most big electric generators work by something like
using big steam engines or flowing water to move magnets near big coils
of wire, stirring up electrical currents in the wires.
There
are even deeper connections, discovered by Michael Faraday and James
Maxwell in the 1800's. These show that the electric and magnetic fields
are connected even without and charges or magnets around, and that
let's waves of electromagnetism travel through space, like light or
radio waves. In 1905 Albert Einstein discovered even deeper
connections, but we have to save something for when you go to college.
(published on 10/22/2007)
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