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Difference Between Magnetism and Electricity

September 10, 2022
written by Adeel Abbas

The difference between magnetism and electricity is that electricity is an electrical current and magnetism is a magnetic field around an object.

Magnetism is the force of attraction or repulsion that arises when a magnetic material is placed in a magnetic field. Electricity is the flow of energy that occurs through a conductor that is carrying a current. 

What is Magnetism?

Magnetism is the property of a material that causes it to have a magnetic field around it. A magnet is any object that has a north pole and a south pole. When two magnets are brought together they attract each other. If a magnet is placed near a metal object, it becomes attracted to it.

A magnet’s magnetic field affects the electrons in metals. Electrons move around the atoms in the metal, and if the electrons are moving in a circular motion, then the metal is said to be conducting electricity. When electrons are not moving in a circle, the metal is non-conducting.

Magnetism is the property of matter that causes certain materials to have a tendency to attract each other.

 There are three types of magnetism.

What is Electricity?

Electricity is the flow of electric charge or electric current. Electricity is seen as a modern-day discovery by a lot of people. And they are not incorrect. Your phones, computers, home appliances, vehicles, and even satellites are all powered by electricity. The presence of electric current can be detected by the effects of current.

image showing the electricity in a wire

The people who harnessed the power of electricity to make the lives of millions of people more convenient were the same scientists who solved the mysteries of electricity. William Gilbert was the first person to use the word electricity, and it wasn’t until the 17th century that people began to understand what caused electricity. Electricity has been around for a long time and we’ve been using it every day since then.

Difference Between Magnetism and Electricity

There are some difference between magnetism and electricity.

MagnetismElectricity
Magnetism is a magnetic field around an object.Electricity is the flow of charge or electric current.
Magnetism is the force of attraction or repulsion that arises when a magnetic material is placed in a magnetic field.Electricity is the flow of energy that occurs through a conductor that is carrying a current.
Magnetism produces around an object when an electric current passes through it.It is an invisible force produced due to electric current.
Magnetic charges are produced in opposite pairs so magnetic monopoles do not exist.Electric monopoles exist in the form of negative and positive charges.
Magnets are used in AC generator, DC Generator, and DC motors.
electricity is used everywhere in daily life from home appliances to lighting, computer, and electronics appliances.

Frequently Asked Questions-FAQs

Can magnetism be learned without electricity?

No, we can not study magnetism without electricity because a magnetic field produces when an electric current passes through a conductor.

Can electricity and magnetism affect each other?

Electricity and magnetism are related to each other. Electromagnetism is the interaction of these two forces.

Can magnets create electricity?

The spinning magnet produces an electric current. And the flow of electric current is called electricity.

How does electricity create magnetism?

Electricity can produce a magnetic field when it passes through a coil of wire. As soon as the electric current is turned off the field around the coil will disappear.

Do stronger magnets produce more electricity?

If a coil of wire is moved through a stronger magnetic field at the same speed, more emf will be produced. This is because there are more lines of force to cut through.