magnetic force: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	magnetic attraction • magnetic repulsion

Photos

Diagram showing a positive charge q2 with three arrows: velocity v2 pointing diagonally down left, magnetic field B1 pointing right, and magnetic force F pointing upward, all perpendicular to each other.

Diagram showing four pairs of small bar magnets in different orientations: opposite poles facing attract, like poles facing repel, with labels indicating attraction or repulsion due to magnetism.

Diagram showing the right-hand rule for magnetic force: a hand with fingers pointing upward represents the magnetic field direction, the thumb points right for current direction, and the palm faces the direction of the resulting force. A coordinate system and arrows illustrate these directions.

Diagram showing four pairs of current loops with arrows indicating current direction and magnetic dipole moment. The diagram labels each pair as causing either attraction or repulsion based on the relative orientation of the loops.

Diagram showing the magnetic force on moving charges: positive and negative charges move along the y-axis in a magnetic field pointing up the z-axis, with force vectors perpendicular to both velocity and field direction.

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Topics

magnetism right-hand rule electromagnetism force electromagnetic radiation Coulomb force electromagnetic field conservative force gravity wear friction strong force stress weak interaction

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electromagnetism: Magnetic fields and forces

Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.

Physics and Natural Law