Question

In Oersted's experiment, the compass needle placed near a straight conducting wire gets deflected when:

Options

• an electric current is passed through the wire

• the wire is heated at one end

• the compass needle is moved to the other side of the room

• the key/switch is left open

Answer 1

The compass needle gets deflected when current flows through the wire. This deflection occurs because the current-carrying conductor produces a magnetic field around it that acts on the needle.