Which scientist discovered the relationship between magnetism and electricity?

• A. Hans Christian Oersted
• B. Faraday
• C. Tesla
• D. Ampere

Answer: (A)

Electricity and magnetism are connected: moving electric charges produce magnetic fields. This relationship was first demonstrated when Hans Christian Ørsted observed that a current in a nearby wire deflected a compass needle. That simple experiment showed that an electric current can create a magnetic effect, revealing a direct link between electricity and magnetism and launching the study of electromagnetism. This foundational idea set the stage for later work, like Faraday’s discovery that changing magnetic fields can induce electric currents and Maxwell’s equations that unite all these effects. While Faraday, Ampere, and Tesla each made crucial contributions to the field, the key discovery that the relationship exists was Ørsted’s observation.