investigate the historical development of the concept of electromagnetic forces

History of Electromagnetic Forces

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Electromagnetism is one of the fundamental forces of nature. It is responsible for all of the everyday things we see, except gravity.

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The development of the concept of electromagnetism took many years.

Introduction

Light, life, and the bonding of atoms into molecules are all due to electromagnetism.

Electricity

Electric fish and rays were known in ancient times.

Since the dawn of humanity, people have been aware of electricity in lightning.

These natural electrical phenomena were thought to be due to the will of the gods.

The static electrical property of amber was investigated by the ancient Greeks.

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Magnetism

Stories of magnetism from China and ancient Greece date back over 2000 years. Natural magnets, made of magnetite, were considered to possess magical powers.

This led to the name lodestone, or ‘leading stone’.

People soon realized that magnetite, when made into the shape of a pointer and floated on water, always pointed in a north-south direction, creating a primitive compass.

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Electricity

Static electricity was investigated extensively during the 18th century.

The concepts of electrostatic forces and charge were discovered.

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Electricity

Volta discovered that electricity could be generated by chemical reactions, leading to the battery and the idea of voltage, which bears his name.

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Electricity

Coulomb discovered that the force between two charged particles is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

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Magnetism

The navigational compass was first recorded in China, around 1100, and then shortly afterwards in Europe.

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Magnetism

The development of the compass led to vastly improved navigation – especially far from land – and led eventually to the Age of Discovery.

The first artificial magnets were produced in 1740.

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Magnetism

Modern magnets, based on rare earth elements, can be very powerful.

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The Golden Age

The 19th century saw the first concrete links between electricity and magnetism.

Øersted discovered that a wire carrying electric current produces a magnetic field.

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The Golden Age

Ampere discovered the force between two current carrying wires.

Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction; the process by which a changing magnetic field produces an electric field.

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Electromagnetism

The Scottish physicist, James Maxwell, published "A dynamical theory of the electromagnetic field," which linked electricity, magnetism, and light.Electricity, magnetism, and light (an electromagnetic wave) are all manifestations of the fundamental force of electromagnetism.

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Electromagnetism

Maxwell’s theory was used to explain how oscillating electric currents in wires produce electromagnetic waves, such as radio waves.

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Electromagnetism

Hertz clarified and expanded the electromagnetic theory of light that had been put forth by Maxwell. He was the first to satisfactorily demonstrate the existence of electromagnetic waves.

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Electromagnetism

Maxwell’s theory was used by Einstein to develop his theory of special relativity.

In the same year, Einstein explained the photoelectric effect. In 1940, this led to quantum electrodynamics – the part of quantum mechanics that deals with electromagnetism.

Question 1

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A) An electric current can be generated in a wire moving in a magnetic field

B) A magnetic compass will be affected by an electric current

C) Light is an electromagnetic wave

D) All of the above

Which of the following statements is true?

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A) An electric current can be generated in a wire moving in a magnetic field

B) A magnetic compass will be affected by an electric current

C) Light is an electromagnetic wave

D) All of the above

Which of the following statements is true?

Question 1

Question 2

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A) 1, 2, 3, then 4

Starting with the earliest, which of the following is the sequence of the historical development of the concept of electromagnetic force?1. Use of compass for navigation2. Maxwell’s theory of the electromagnetic field3. Volta’s discovery that electricity can be generated through chemical reactions4. Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic inductionB) 4, 3, 1, then 2

C) 4, 2, 3, then 1

D) 1, 3, 4, then 2

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A) 1, 2, 3, then 4

Starting with the earliest, which of the following is the sequence of the historical development of the concept of electromagnetic force?1. Use of compass for navigation2. Maxwell’s theory of the electromagnetic field3. Volta’s discovery that electricity can be generated through chemical reactions4. Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic inductionB) 4, 3, 1, then 2

C) 4, 2, 3, then 1

D) 1, 3, 4, then 2

Question 2

the development of separate theories of electricity and magnetism, and a single theory of electromagnetism

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Summary