Question

You are told that in a certain region there is either a uniform electric or magnetic field. What measurement or observation could you make to determine the type? (Ignore the Earth’s magnetic field.)

Short answer

The strength of the magnetic force on a charged particle, a compass, or a bar magnet can help us to determine the type of the magnetic field.

Step-by-step solution

Definition of electromagnetic field

A classical electromagnetic field is created by accelerating electric charges. It is the classical equivalent to the quantized electromagnetic field tensor in quantum electrodynamics and is described by classical electrodynamics.

Explanation

There are several possibilities to measure it, which involve a charged particle, a compass, or a bar magnet. In all three cases, the uniform magnetic field force experience by them will be the same at each point in the measured region.

However, for the non-uniform magnetic field, the strength of the force will be variable/different at the different points in the magnetic region.