Magnetjõudu

Magnetjõudu, often translated as magnetic force, is a fundamental force of nature that arises from the motion of electric charges. It is one of the four fundamental forces, alongside gravity, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. Magnetic force is responsible for many phenomena, from the attraction and repulsion of magnets to the operation of electric motors and generators.

The source of magnetic fields is electric current or, on an atomic level, the intrinsic magnetic moments of elementary particles like electrons. Moving electric charges create magnetic fields, and these magnetic fields, in turn, exert forces on other moving electric charges and magnetic materials. The strength and direction of the magnetic force are described by the Lorentz force law. This law states that a charged particle moving through a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to both its velocity and the direction of the magnetic field.

Magnetic forces are mediated by photons, the quanta of the electromagnetic field. This is why magnetism is considered part of the broader electromagnetic force. Unlike electric forces, which can be attractive or repulsive between stationary charges, magnetic forces are always associated with motion. The concept of magnetic poles, north and south, is a useful way to visualize magnetic fields and their interactions, where like poles repel and opposite poles attract.