Question
A wire with a current running through it can be shaped into a tightly wound coil in order to increase the magnetic field it creates. What is the name of the tightly wound coil shape?
Answer
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Roslyn
Professional · Tutor for 6 years
Answer
The name of the tightly wound coil shape used to increase a self-generated magnetic field is a solenoid.
Explanation
The question relates to the structures known as solenoids in electromagnetism. When electric current passes through a wire, it generates a magnetic field around it. Now, if the wire is looped or coiled into a tightly wound shape, then it will amplify the magnetic field each loop creates, leading to a stronger overall magnetic field in a concentrated area. The term for the specific tightly wound coil shape that enhances the strength and density of a magnetic field generated by a current-carrying wire is referred to as a solenoid.