Magnetically Induced Electric Current

hi there..... why do we say that only time varying magnetic filed generates or induces current……. What is that the normal magnetic field lack……… When I asked this to my teacher he was saying may be it is due to stability of atom or charges are disturbed by only varying field…….. but I didn’t get it……. And one of my friends was saying it is due to the fact that the field lines coming out of the north pole are more than that from the south pole……..again I could not make it out… can u explain it ……… thnaks for ur time.......
- Apurva (age 17)
india

According to Maxwell,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations  only a changing magnetic field can induce a electric field that can then make a current.  Static magnetic fields don't work.  This is true both in the presence and absence of atoms. 
By the way, I think your friend's explanation is incorrect.

LeeH

(published on 08/24/2010)