Which term is used to represent a coil of wire that can create a magnetic field when current flows through it?

Which term is used to represent a coil of wire that can create a magnetic field when current flows through it?

• A. Transformer
• B. Galvonometer
• C. Solenoid
• D. Generator

Answer: (C)

Wrapping a wire into many loops and passing current through it creates a magnetic field; that arrangement is a solenoid. The multiple turns add their fields together, giving a strong, roughly uniform magnetic field along the coil’s axis when current flows. If you put a magnetic core inside, the field intensifies, turning the coil into an electromagnet. This term differentiates from other devices: a transformer uses two or more coils to transfer energy and change voltage, a galvanometer uses a coil and magnet to sense current rather than generate a field, and a generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy with more components than just a coil.

Wrapping a wire into many loops and passing current through it creates a magnetic field; that arrangement is a solenoid. The multiple turns add their fields together, giving a strong, roughly uniform magnetic field along the coil’s axis when current flows. If you put a magnetic core inside, the field intensifies, turning the coil into an electromagnet. This term differentiates from other devices: a transformer uses two or more coils to transfer energy and change voltage, a galvanometer uses a coil and magnet to sense current rather than generate a field, and a generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy with more components than just a coil.