5H10.20 • Magnetic Fields: Oersted’s Effect

Instructions / Notes:

• DEMO STAFF: Set up both compasses so that the needles are aligned in a proper north south axis.
• One compass will then be due north of the wire and the other due south.
• The compasses will deflect away from the wire to illustrate the direction of the magnetic field lines.

Photo Shows the Oersted Experiment Apparatus

Photo Below Shows the compass needles pointing in opposite directions

An Old-School drawing below is by Courtesy of the University of Minnesota.

Drawing does not depict the demonstration used by U.T. Austin.

Last updated on August 30, 2017