magnetic force

Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images

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.

magnetic force: References & Edit History

More Articles On This Topic

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Modified link of Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Common Forces - Magnetic Force.	Grace Young	Nov 08, 2026
	Add new Web site: Chapman University Digital Commons - Magnetic Forces in the Absence of a Classical Magnetic Field (PDF).	Aakanksha Gaur	Dec 19, 2025
	Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - The Role of Magnetic Forces in Biology and Medicine.	Aakanksha Gaur	Aug 02, 2025
	Add new Web site: Illinois Institute of Technology - Magnetic Fields and Forces (PDF).	Yamini Chauhan	Apr 24, 2025
	Add new Web site: OpenStax - University Physics Volume 2 - Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor.	Gloria Lotha	Feb 14, 2025
	Add new Web site: MIT - Electric and Magnetic Forces.	Gloria Lotha	Oct 25, 2024
	Add new Web site: University of Central Florida Pressbooks - University Physics Volume 2 - Magnetic Force on a Current-Carrying Conductor.	Gloria Lotha	Jun 27, 2024
	Add new Web site: EWT - Magnetic Force.	Gloria Lotha	Oct 11, 2023
	Add new Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Common Forces - Magnetic Force.	Aakanksha Gaur	Aug 18, 2023
	Corrected display issue.	Adam Augustyn	Jan 31, 2020
	Add new Web site: The University of Tennessee System - Magnetic Field and Magnetic Forces.	Grace Young	Mar 21, 2016
	Add new Web site: Khan Academy - What are magnetic fields?	Grace Young	Mar 21, 2016
	Add new Web site: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Introduction to Magnetic Fields.	Grace Young	Mar 21, 2016
	Added new Web site: The Physics Hypertextbook - Magnetic Force.	Gita Liesangthem	Jan 24, 2007
	Added new Web site: HyperPhysics - Magnetic forces.	Gita Liesangthem	Jan 24, 2007
	Added new Web site: Magnetism and the Sun - Magnetic Force.	Gita Liesangthem	Jan 24, 2007
	Article added to new online database.	The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica	Jul 20, 1998