magnetic field

American  

noun

1. a region of space near a magnet, electric current, or moving charged particle in which a magnetic force acts on any other magnet, electric current, or moving charged particle.

2. magnetic intensity.

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magnetic field British  

noun

1. a field of force surrounding a permanent magnet or a moving charged particle, in which another permanent magnet or moving charge experiences a force Compare electric field

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magnetic field Scientific  

1. A field of force associated with changing electric fields, as when electric charges are in motion. Magnetic fields exert deflective forces on moving electric charges. Most magnets have magnetic fields as a result of the spinning motion of the electrons orbiting the atoms of which they are composed; electromagnets create such fields from electric current moving through coils. Large objects, such as the earth, other planets, and stars, also produce magnetic fields.

2. See Note at magnetism

3. See magnetic field strength

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magnetic field Cultural  

1. A magnetic field is said to exist in a region if a force can be exerted on a magnet. If a compass needle is deflected when it is put at a particular location, we say a magnetic field exists at that point, and the strength of the field is measured by the strength of the force of the compass needle. The Earth, the sun, and the Milky Way galaxy all have magnetic fields. All known magnetic fields are caused by the movement of electrical charges. Electrons in orbit in atoms give rise to magnetic fields, so that every atom is, like the Earth, surrounded by a magnetic field. (See magnet and magnetism.)

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Etymology

Origin of magnetic field

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

magnetic field

"We observed that the critical temperature can increase by up to 5.4% in a six-layer NbSe2 device, while the critical current and critical magnetic field are significantly enhanced near the superconducting transition," said Prof. Cheng.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 3, 2026

Birds, fish, and insects can use Earth's magnetic field to travel enormous distances, yet scientists still do not fully understand the biological mechanisms that make this possible.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Researchers know that eels can detect Earth's magnetic field, but exactly how they sense it remains uncertain.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Now, researchers have uncovered evidence that the structures may have functioned as a sophisticated navigation system, allowing an ancient animal to interpret Earth's magnetic field much like a map.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Confining ions in a magnetic field for about one hundred orbits was practical.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik