This exhibits shows how a magnetic field exerts a force on an electrical current. It also shows the direction of the force.
Push the button, this will start the power supply. Now take the insulated cable in your hand and make the fuzzy end of the cable touch the copper disk lightly at point A.
The disk will begin to rotate.
- One pole of the power supply is connected to the center of the copper disc, the other pole is connected to the red cable with the fuzzy end. There is now an electrical current I flowing from the center of the disc O to point A.
-At point A there is a magnetic field B provided by the large horseshoe magnet.
-The current experiences a force F which is perpendicular to both the current I and the magnetic field B; this force makes the disc rotate.
The magnetic field produced by the horseshoe magnet is strongest near the poles of the magnet and weaker farther away. You can explore this by touching the disc at various points on the disc, and observing the effects