Questions: 5. Several students are discussing how they could use what they know about compasses and magnetic fields to test whether an electric current can cause a magnetic field.
Select which students' investigation would provide evidence that an electric current through a wire can cause a magnetic field.
Student 1: I think we should attach a wire to a current meter, then bring a magnet near the wire. If there is a current in the wire, that means that a current can cause a magnetic field.
Student 2:1 think we should place a compass near some wire. Then we can attach the wire to a battery. If the compass deflects when the wire is connected to the battery, then there must be a magnetic field.
Student 3: I agree we should place a compass near some wire, but why do we need the battery? If the compass deflects when it is near the wire, there must be a magnetic field caused by the current.
Transcript text: 5. Several students are discussing how they could use what they know about compasses and magnetic fields to test whether an electric current can cause a magnetic field.
Select which students' investigation would provide evidence that an electric current through a wire can cause a magnetic field.
Student 1: I think we should attach a wire to a current meter, then bring a magnet near the wire. If there is a current in the wire, that means that a current can cause a magnetic field.
Student 2:1 think we should place a compass near some wire. Then we can attach the wire to a battery. If the compass deflects when the wire is connected to the battery, then there must be a magnetic field.
Student 3: I agree we should place a compass near some wire, but why do we need the battery? If the compass deflects when it is near the wire, there must be a magnetic field caused by the current.
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding the Problem
The problem involves determining which student's investigation would provide evidence that an electric current through a wire can cause a magnetic field. We need to evaluate each student's proposal to see if it effectively tests the hypothesis.
Step 2: Analyzing Student 1's Proposal
Student 1 suggests attaching a wire to a current meter and bringing a magnet near the wire. This setup tests whether a magnet can induce a current in the wire, not whether a current can create a magnetic field. Therefore, this does not provide evidence for the hypothesis.
Step 3: Analyzing Student 2's Proposal
Student 2 proposes placing a compass near a wire and then connecting the wire to a battery. If the compass deflects, it indicates the presence of a magnetic field caused by the electric current in the wire. This setup directly tests the hypothesis and would provide evidence that an electric current can cause a magnetic field.
Step 4: Analyzing Student 3's Proposal
Student 3 suggests placing a compass near a wire without using a battery. Without a current flowing through the wire, there would be no magnetic field generated by the wire. Therefore, this setup cannot test the hypothesis effectively.
Final Answer
The investigation proposed by Student 2 would provide evidence that an electric current through a wire can cause a magnetic field. \(\boxed{\text{Student 2}}\)