AD 1819

Hans Christian Oersted

Electromagnetism

Hans Christian Oersted (AD 1777-1851), was demonstrating the heating effects of the Voltaic Pile when he noticed that the needle of a compass sitting next to it spun off of north. This occurred every time the Voltaic Pile was in use. This eventually lead him to the conclusion that an electric current creates a magnetic field and electromagnetism was born.

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