What is magnetic field? I know it's silly but I need to know what is actually happening in a magnetic field at atomic level

Question

anonymous · Answer

A magnetic field is a mathematical description of the magnetic influence of electric currents and magnetic materials. The magnetic field at any given point is specified by both a direction and a magnitude (or strength); as such it is a vector field

xishem · Answer

I think trying to answer the question of how magnetism works the way it works on the atomic level is like asking how electrical forces work on the atomic level. Other than "opposite charges attract" and "same charges repel".

You're going to have to dig really deeply into quantum electrodynamics if you want a good answer, and even then you'll find that we just really don't have the answers. From what we know, it's just a fundamental "thing" of nature.

anonymous · Answer

, can anyone pls explain how earth acts as a magnet? If at all earth is considered to be a giant magnet, isn't gravitational force actually a magnetic force?

xishem · Answer

It is thought that the largest contributor to Earth's magnetic field is caused by the liquid flow of molten, conductive iron in Earth's core.

The magnetic and gravitational forces can be separated pretty easily at this large of a scale. Earth's magnetic field is fairly weak and can be measured directly here on Earth as well can the gravitational force.

Everything which is affected by gravity (objects on Earth as well as planets) are mostly of neutral charge and so it doesn't make any sense for the magnetic field to exert a force on those things. That's one of the many ways we know the primary attractive force of Earth for most objects is gravity and not magnetism.

anonymous · Answer

Thanks Xishem :)