Oersted’s Experiment: Demonstrating Electromagnetism with Compass and Wire #168294 (License: Personal Use)

This historical line drawing depicts Hans Christian Oersted’s pivotal 1820 experiment where a compass needle deflected when placed near a current-carrying wire, proving that electric currents generate magnetic fields. The diagram shows a vertical wire connected to a battery, two compasses aligned along a meridian, and concentric field lines indicating the circular nature of the induced magnetic field. Labels such as “+”, “-”, “N”, “S”, and “meridian” clarify orientation and polarity.

Used in physics education, science history articles, and STEM curriculum materials to illustrate the discovery of electromagnetism; matches user intent for learning foundational electromagnetic principles or researching historical experiments.