Britannica
Sources used in this answer
- electromagnetism - Experimental and theoretical studies of electromagnetic phenomena
- Michael Faraday - Early life
- magnetohydrodynamic power generator - Development of MHD power generators
- electromagnetism - Magnetic fields and forces
- electromagnetism - Faraday’s discovery of electric induction
- electromagnetism - Effects of varying magnetic fields
How did Humphry Davy show that a magnetic field could affect an electric arc?
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magnetohydrodynamic power generator
Comparison of the operating principles of (A) a turbogenerator and (B) an MHD generator.
In 1821, the English chemist Humphry Davy conducted the first recorded investigation into magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). He demonstrated that an electric arc could be deflected by a magnetic field, providing early evidence of the interaction between magnetic forces and electric currents in a conductive medium.1