I know it’s kind of a stupid question, but I have been thinking this for a while. Do magnets affect the electricity itself that flows inside a wire? For example, say I am charging my phone and it’s connected to a wall socket. If I placed a magnet in the middle of my charger wire (like literally on top of the wire) would the magnet stop the electricity from flowing since it’s getting attracted to the magnet? Would it have any effect at all on the flow of electrons inside the wire?
In: Physics
Yes and no. Magnetism and electron flow (electricity) are inherently related, inseparable in fact, but not quite in the way you suggest.
In fact we use magnets a LOT in electronics – that charger has a transformer that works due to magnetism, the output uses induced magnetism to remover electrical spikes, etc.
In your case, the electrons are in a bidirectional flow in the cable, so more or less in balance, and the magnet is in a stable state when it’s sat there, so the influence is all balanced out and stable. Moving your magnet rapidly through a coil of wire will induce a voltage in the wire, though, which is how dynamos work.
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