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The difficulty of attempting to measure something, without altering it by the attempt, is well shown in attempting to measure magnetic field lines.

First, the lines of magnetic force are an artificial construct - in the same way as many contour lines are.

Consider the 'field lines' between two poles of a magnetic. The magnetic field concerned will vary in a perfectly smooth manner as one moves away from the most central position between the two poles, to the positions most remote from the poles. There is no reason to believe that any one curve between the poles is preferred over any other; or any more real.

When we sprinkle iron filings on the region between the two poles, we alter the properties of the field in a most egregious manner.

The iron filings are ferromagnetic, and an individual filing thus concentrates the field in its region. AND the individual filing will have its own North and South pole.

These filings will form a chain of interconnected filings, each with its own N and S poles, and attracted to the N and S poles of the next filing in that line.

At the same time, the N and S poles of an individual filing will REPEL from adjacent similar fields. Thus there will appear to be lines of filings, roughly parallel to each other, and becoming closer as they approach the high intensity of the magnet's real poles.

A similar problem will occur when attempting to measure the strength of an electrostatic field. For any dust sensitive to an electrostatic field will attract surplus electrons to itself, thus distorting the image of the field.

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What is the neutral point of the magnetic field?

The neutral point of a magnetic field is the point in space where the magnetic field intensity is zero. At this point, the magnetic forces acting on a particle will cancel each other out, resulting in no net force. This occurs in regions where magnetic field lines from opposite directions meet and cancel each other.


How do the iron filings behave when sprinkled over the bar or horseshoe magnet?

The iron filings align along the magnetic field lines when sprinkled over a bar or horseshoe magnet. This creates a visual representation of the magnetic field around the magnet. The filings cluster at the poles of the magnet where the magnetic field is strongest.


What if a magnetic needle is kept in a non uniform magnetic field?

A magnetic needle kept in uniform magnetic field will experience zero net force but non-zero net torque........Since the magnetic lines are uniform,the force acting on each end of the needlewill be equal and opposite.So it will cancel each other resulting zero net force.


When the magnetc fields of two or more magnets overlap what is the result?

When the magnetic fields of two or more magnets overlap, they can either reinforce each other, resulting in a stronger magnetic field in the area of overlap, or they can cancel each other out, weakening the magnetic field. This is due to the interaction of the magnetic field lines produced by each magnet.


What is the difference between magnatic field strength and pole strength?

Magnetic field strength refers to the intensity of magnetic field lines in a given area, measured in units of tesla or gauss. Pole strength, on the other hand, refers to the strength of the north or south pole of a magnet, which determines how strong the magnetic field is at that pole. In simpler terms, magnetic field strength is the overall intensity of the magnetic field, while pole strength specifically refers to the strength of individual poles on a magnet.

Related Questions

Do magnetic field lines spread out from the poles and curve around to the other poles?

Yes, magnetic field lines spread out from one pole and curve around to the other pole in a closed loop. This creates a continuous path for the magnetic field to flow from one pole to the other, forming a complete circuit.


What do magnetic field lines look like when two magnets attract each other?

When two magnets attract each other, the magnetic field lines curve from one magnet to the other in a continuous loop, showing the path of the magnetic force between them.


What do magnetic field lines look like when two magnets repel each other?

When two magnets repel each other, the magnetic field lines will curve away from each other, showing a pattern of lines that do not intersect and point in opposite directions.


What do field lines show that curve toward each other show?

Field lines that curve toward each other show the presence of an attractive force between the objects producing the field. This could indicate the presence of gravity or an attractive charge distribution.


How are magnetic field lines arranged?

Magnetic field lines spread out from one pole, curve around the magnet, and return to the other pole.. . ah, they don't actually spread out from the poles, inside the magnet they are bunched together but they still form closed loops with the lines outside.


Why magnetic field lines are closer at the bottom?

Magnetic field lines are closer at the bottom of a magnet because the magnetic field strength is stronger in that region. This increase in field strength causes the field lines to compress closer together. The field lines spread out as they move away from the magnet, resulting in the characteristic pattern of magnetic field lines emerging from the poles and converging at the other side.


Imaginary lines of force around a magnet?

Imaginary lines of force around a magnet are called magnetic field lines. They represent the direction and strength of the magnetic field. These lines provide a visual way to understand how magnetic fields behave and interact with other magnets or magnetic materials.


Magnetic field lines cross each other?

No, they don't.


How do repelling magnetic field lines interact with each other?

When repelling magnetic field lines interact with each other, they push away from each other due to their like charges. This creates a force that causes the field lines to move apart and maintain a distance from each other.


What happens when a magnets magnetic field lines are close together?

When a magnet's magnetic field lines are close together, it indicates a strong magnetic field. The magnetic field strength is higher, leading to more intense interactions with nearby objects and potentially stronger magnetic forces acting between the magnet and other magnetic materials.


Do magnetic field lines ever cross each other at any point?

No, magnetic field lines do not cross each other at any point. This is a fundamental property of magnetic fields known as the "no crossing rule". If lines were to cross, it would imply the existence of multiple directions for the magnetic field at that point, which is physically impossible.


Why the magnetic field lines do not intersect each other?

Magnetic field lines do not intersect each other because each point in space can have only one direction of the magnetic field. If two lines were to intersect, it would imply that the magnetic field has two different directions at that point, which is impossible. This property ensures that the magnetic field is well-defined and consistent throughout the space it occupies. Additionally, intersections would suggest conflicting magnetic forces, which cannot physically occur.