Magnettikenttä

Magnettikenttä, also known as a magnetic field, is a region in space where magnetic forces are detectable. It is generated by moving electric charges, such as those found in electric currents, and by the intrinsic magnetic moments of elementary particles associated with a fundamental quantum property, their spin. Magnetic fields exert forces on moving charges and torques on magnetic dipoles, which are fundamental particles or objects that have a magnetic moment.

The strength of a magnetic field is typically measured in units of teslas (T) or gauss (G), with 1 T being equal to 10,000 G. The direction of the magnetic field is indicated by the direction of the magnetic force it exerts on a positive test charge moving in a vacuum.

Magnetic fields are vector fields, meaning they have both magnitude and direction at each point in space. They can be represented by magnetic field lines, which are imaginary lines that indicate the direction of the magnetic field at each point. The density of these lines represents the strength of the magnetic field.

Magnetic fields are fundamental to many natural phenomena and technological applications. They are responsible for the Earth's magnetosphere, which protects the planet from solar wind and cosmic rays. They are also used in various technologies, such as electric motors, generators, and magnetic storage devices like hard drives.