Computer Science I / Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Practice question · Sort into groups

Sort each phenomenon by which direction of the electromagnetic connection it demonstrates.

Groups: Electricity produces magnetism · Magnetism produces electricity

Hints
  1. Ask what is supplied and what comes out in each case.
  2. If a current has to be provided first, the effect runs from electricity to magnetism.
Show the answer

Electricity produces magnetism: A current-carrying wire deflects a nearby compass needle, An electromagnet lifts scrap metal when switched on

Magnetism produces electricity: A generator turned by a turbine delivers current, A disk drive head reads data from a spinning magnetic platter, A moving magnet drives a current round a closed loop

Why

Currents create fields, and changing fields create currents, the two directions of one relationship. The disk read head is the payoff for computing: the platter's changing magnetisation induces the tiny voltages that carry back your stored bits.

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