What happens when magnetic fields overlap?

Answer 1

Magnetic and electric fields exist nearly everywhere, and the following is a brief description of what these fields are, how they are created, and what effects they produce. The concept of an "electric field" arose when electrons were observed to repel other electrons but attract protons. This attraction-repulsion was actually seen before the discovery of electrons or protons; early measurements studied the forces on objects that happened to acquire an excess or deficiency of electrons after being rubbed with cloth or fur. If two electrons are separated by one centimeter, each electron will experience a repulsive force of 2.3 x 10-24 gram-equivalents. Doubling the separation will reduce the force to one quarter. Doubling the number of electrons on one side will double the repulsive force acting on the lone electron on the other side. Most matter is neutral, so it contains an equal number of protons and electrons . However, sometimes electrons are deliberately or accidentally removed from one object, and deposited onto another object. If a proton (or other positive-charged body) is placed near these two charged objects, the proton will be attracted to the negative object, which has excess electrons, and simultaneously repelled from the positive one, which is missing some electrons. The total force acting on the proton is a measure of the electric field that the proton is exposed to. The direction of the force that acts on the proton is the same as the direction of the electric field and the strength of the force is proportional to the strength of the electric field. (The force that acts on the proton, in gram-equivalents, multiplied by 6 x 1016, gives the electric field in units of volts per meter or V/m.) If an electron were substituted for the proton, the force would be of the same strength but in the opposite direction of the electric field. If two protons "tied" together were substituted for the single proton, they would experience twice as much total force.

Answer 2

Not a lot.

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Stationary electric fields and magnetic fields do not interact with each other.

If one of the fields varies it will make the other field vary also, and the fields will develop an orthogonal component.

They won't then be parallel.

Answer 3

The Earth's magnetic field shields us from a lot of the ionising radiation that comes from space. The Moon may be the remains of a planet which collided with the Earth during the early years of the Earth's existence.

Artificial satellites have many uses, including telecommunications and weather predicting, but can be disrupted by solar flares from the Sun.

Magnetic fieldsMagnets have a north pole and a south pole. You can use plotting compassesto show the direction and shape of a magnetic field. In diagrams of magnetic field the arrows on the lines show the direction from the north to the south poles.

A magnetic field is also created if an electric current moves through a coil of wire. This is how electromagnets work. Toggle the current 'on' and 'off' in the animation below:

Plotting compasses can also be used to show the shape and direction of the magnetic field created by a coil of wire.

You must be able to describe the shape of the field coming from a coil of wire carrying an electric current, but you do not need to be able to work out its direction.