Magnetic Fields and Forces

Magnetic fields are invisible areas around magnets and electric currents, where magnetic forces can act. These fields arise from moving electric charges and create a force on other magnets or charged particles within the field. In magnetostatics, we study magnetic fields that are steady and not changing over time. The direction of the magnetic field lines indicates the direction of the force a north pole of a magnet would experience. This explains why like poles repel and opposite poles attract, forming the basis for many applications, including electric motors and magnetic storage devices.