Question

2. In the following figure a compass needle is kept parallel to a current carrying wire.
(a) What will you observe when the current is switched on?
(b) Justify your above observation with reason.

Answer 1

Answer:

The needle of a compass is a tiny magnet, which points in the north-south direction. When a magnet is brought close to it, the needle gets deflected. When an electric current passes through a wire, it behaves like a magnet. This magnetic effect of the electric current makes the compass needle deflect from the north-south direction.