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published by the Florida State University
supported by the National Science Foundation
technical implementer: Matthew J. Parry-Hill
This interactive tutorial simulates the simple, yet groundbreaking, 1820 experiment that paved the way for understanding the relationship between electricity and magnetism. It is a virtual version of Hans Christian Oersted's voltaic pile battery outfitted with a live electrical wire. Students can turn the current on/off and also flip the battery. Watch what happens to the nearby compass to see why this experiment rocked the scientific world of the early 1800's.

Magnet Academy is part of a large collection of web-based educational materials for K-20, developed by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University.

Please note that this resource requires Java Applet Plug-in.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Practices
- Technology
= Multimedia
Electricity & Magnetism
- DC Circuits
= Instruments
- Electromotive Force and Current
= Cells and Batteries
General Physics
- Equipment
- History
- High School
- Middle School
- Informal Education
- Instructional Material
= Interactive Simulation
= Tutorial
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Physical Science
- Physics First
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- New teachers
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Intended Users:
Learner
Educator
General Public
Formats:
application/java
text/html
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 2005 http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/micro/legal.html
Keywords:
Oersted, animation, battery, compass, current, electric cell, historical instruments, history of electricity, history of science, interactive simulation, science history, voltaic
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created January 23, 2011 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:
August 13, 2016 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
January 7, 2015

AAAS Benchmark Alignments (2008 Version)

8. The Designed World

8C. Energy Sources and Use
  • 6-8: 8C/M8. People have invented ingenious ways of deliberately bringing about energy transformations that are useful to them.

11. Common Themes

11A. Systems
  • 6-8: 11A/M2. Thinking about things as systems means looking for how every part relates to others. The output from one part of a system (which can include material, energy, or information) can become the input to other parts. Such feedback can serve to control what goes on in the system as a whole.
11B. Models
  • 6-8: 11B/M6. A model can sometimes be used to get ideas about how the thing being modeled actually works, but there is no guarantee that these ideas are correct if they are based on the model alone.

12. Habits of Mind

12C. Manipulation and Observation
  • 6-8: 12C/M5. Analyze simple mechanical devices and describe what the various parts are for; estimate what the effect of making a change in one part of a device would have on the device as a whole.
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Record Link
AIP Format
(Florida State University, Tallahassee, 2005), WWW Document, (https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass).
AJP/PRST-PER
Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass (Florida State University, Tallahassee, 2005), <https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass>.
APA Format
Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass. (2015, January 7). Retrieved October 5, 2024, from Florida State University: https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass
Chicago Format
National Science Foundation. Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass. Tallahassee: Florida State University, January 7, 2015. https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass (accessed 5 October 2024).
MLA Format
Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass. Tallahassee: Florida State University, 2005. 7 Jan. 2015. National Science Foundation. 5 Oct. 2024 <https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Title = {Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass}, Publisher = {Florida State University}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {5 October 2024}, Month = {January 7, 2015}, Year = {2005} }
Refer Export Format

%T Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass %D January 7, 2015 %I Florida State University %C Tallahassee %U https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass %O application/java

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %D January 7, 2015 %T Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass %I Florida State University %V 2024 %N 5 October 2024 %8 January 7, 2015 %9 application/java %U https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/watch-play/interactive/orsted-s-compass


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Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass:

Is Part Of Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass

A link to the full index of Mag Lab U interactive tutorials, appropriate for students with little or no background in physics.

relation by Caroline Hall
Contains Magnet Academy: Interactive Tutorials - Oersted's Compass

This is a simulation of the groundbreaking Oersted Compass experiment of 1820, which paved the way for a revolution in understanding of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.

relation by Caroline Hall

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