Question

An electric current through a metallic conductor produces ……………around it.
(A) Heat
(B) Light
(C) Magnetic field
(D) Mechanical force

Answer 1

Hint:This question can be answered by an example of a magnetic field that can be explained through Oersted’s experiment and faraday’s law of electromagnetism.

Complete step by step answer:
Oersted observed for the first time that a current passing through a conductor, having a certain charge in motion, produces a magnetic field around it. Oersted’s Law states that when a steady electric current is passed through a metallic conductor, it creates a magnetic field around it. The lines of the magnetic field lie in a plane perpendicular to the metallic conductor. The direction of the Magnetic field gets reversed when the direction of the flow of electric current is reversed.
Hence, an electric current when passed through a metallic conductor produces a magnetic field around it. The magnetic fields arise from the charges. This has been considered in the faraday’s law of Electromagnetism also. The direction of the magnetic field around a current carrying metallic conductor is defined by right hand thumb rule, which states that if a person holding a current carrying straight conductor in his/her right hand in such a way that the thumb points towards the direction of current. The finger of the person will wrap around the conductor in the direction of the magnetic field.Therefore, an electric current passing through a metallic conductor produces a magnetic field around it.
Therefore, from the above explanation, the correct option is (C) Magnetic field.

Note:The quantity of flow of electric current through a metallic conductor is directly proportional to the amount of magnetic field produced around it. Examples of metallic conductors are Steel, Zinc, Copper, Aluminum etc.