What two things happen when current flows through a conductor?

What two things happen when current flows through a conductor?

• A. Heat is generated
• B. A magnetic field surrounds the conductor
• C. The conductor becomes superconductive
• D. Heat is generated and a magnetic field surrounds the conductor

Answer: (D)

When current flows through a conductor, two things happen together. First, energy is dissipated as heat because the moving electrons collide with the atoms in the material, turning electrical energy into thermal energy. This resistive heating is often described by I²R losses. Second, the moving charges create a magnetic field that surrounds the conductor; the field lines loop around the wire and its strength grows with the current. Both effects occur in normal conductors, so the statement that combines them is the correct description. The idea of the conductor becoming superconductive is a special case that only happens under particular conditions (very low temperatures, etc.) and is not the general behavior of current in a typical conductor.

When current flows through a conductor, two things happen together. First, energy is dissipated as heat because the moving electrons collide with the atoms in the material, turning electrical energy into thermal energy. This resistive heating is often described by I²R losses. Second, the moving charges create a magnetic field that surrounds the conductor; the field lines loop around the wire and its strength grows with the current. Both effects occur in normal conductors, so the statement that combines them is the correct description. The idea of the conductor becoming superconductive is a special case that only happens under particular conditions (very low temperatures, etc.) and is not the general behavior of current in a typical conductor.