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    How Special Relativity Makes Magnets Work

    Veritasium

    7 HN recommenders · recommended in 8 months, 2014–2024

    YouTube

    4:19 · 4M views · Sep 23, 2013

    Veritasium explains magnetism as a consequence of special relativity. Length contraction of moving charges makes a current in a wire attract or repel a nearby moving charge.

    HN commenters recommend it as a short, clear explanation of why moving charges create magnetic fields.

    Physics, Space & ChemistryFundamental physics
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    8 comments from Hacker News

    1. @lugouesJun 2024· in “Why does current flow the opposite way from the electrons?”

      Sort of, electricity and magnetism are two sides of the same coin, electromagnetism, so it's waves in the electromagnetic field with the wire acting as a wave guide. (as far as I understand) Veritasium has a video that goes over this. It was pretty controversial at release but it gives a good overview. [LINK] And why magnets work due to relativity this video

      RecommendsView on HN
    2. @programmer_dudeSep 2021· in “Why can’t I go faster than the speed of light?”

      Wow, this is the first time I have understood why nothing can go faster than the speed of light and why time dilation is a thing. A very easy to read article, give it a try. Also if you are curious why a moving charge creates a magnetic field watch this Veritasium video: this video

      RecommendsView on HN
    3. @HPsquaredJul 2020· in “Bohr–van Leeuwen theorem – magnetism in solids is a quantum mechanical effect”

      Magnetism is a side effect of special relativity: moving charges have length contraction (depending on frame of reference) which makes them appear more/less dense and therefore an attractive/repulsive force. Veritasium on YouTube made a much better explanation: this video

      RecommendsView on HN
    4. @rovoloApr 2020· in “Why is Maxwell's theory so hard to understand? (2007) [pdf]”

      Here's a video explainer: this video Magnetism affects moving charges, but not stationary charges. A magnetic field in your reference frame is really just an electric field in the moving charge's reference frame.

      RecommendsView on HN
    5. @ameliusAug 2024· in “NASA Discovers a Long-Sought Global Electric Field on Earth”

      I think what GP meant is that (from one viewpoint) magnetism is an emergent property of the electric field and relativity. Here is a simple explanation: this video

      RecommendsView on HN