GCSE Physics

Magnetism Around Wires

Rather than awkwardly draw the field in some sort of 3D image, we normally draw them as if seeing the wire from above or below, as shown here:

cross-section through a currernt-carrying conductor with circular magnetic field lines sketched symbols for cross-section of conductors with current direction indicated

The animation clearly shows that reversing the direction of the current reverses the direction of the magnetic field.

If we increase the size of the current, the field becomes stronger so we would draw more lines closer together.


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