Lesson One : Activities and Quizzes
Activity 6: Generation of a magnetic field by a changing electric fieldRequired materials: A 9V battery, 3 ft. of copper wire, and a compass.
Procedure: Lay about 1 ft. of the wire over an empty space and have a student connect one end of the wire to one terminal of the battery. Have another student hold the compass near the wire. The compass should be perpendicular to the floor so that its face is observed from the side. While holding the compass near the wire, have the student connect the other end of the wire to the remaining terminal of the battery. Current in the wire flows from the positive terminal of the battery (+) to the negative terminal (-). If the wire is grasped with the right hand, with the thumb pointing in the direction of the current, the fingers of the hand curl in the direction of the resulting magnetic field. This fact is confirmed by observing how the needle of the compass aligns with the direction of the generated magnetic field.