Electromagnetism

What are electromagnetic tensors and how does special relativity explain electromagnetism?

An exploration of how electricity and magnetism are unified through the lens of special relativity and the electromagnetic tensor.

Check your understanding

1. What is the name of the tiny building blocks that make up everything in the universe?
- A. Legos
- B. Atoms
- C. Sparks
- D. Magnets
2. How can you turn a metal object into a magnet?
- A. By painting it
- B. By making it heavy
- C. By having electrons move in a path
- D. By sitting very still
3. Electricity and magnetism are like two sides of what?
- A. A coin
- B. A balloon
- C. A piece of paper
- D. A blanket
4. What happens when your hand touches a table?
- A. Your hand melts
- B. The table disappears
- C. Electrons in your hand push against electrons in the table
- D. The table becomes magnetic

1. Why does a fridge magnet stick to the door?
- A. The magnet is sticky like glue
- B. Tiny electrons inside the magnet are all lined up the same way
- C. The fridge is made of wood
- D. The magnet has legs to hold on
2. If you look at an electron while running very fast, what might you see?
- A. It disappears
- B. It looks like a magnet
- C. It turns into a lightbulb
- D. It stops moving
3. What is a 'tensor' in science like?
- A. A magical wand
- B. A box that holds information about fields
- C. A type of glue
- D. A piece of string
4. What do the Northern Lights show us about Earth?
- A. That the Earth is a giant magnet pulling in particles
- B. That the sun is made of ice
- C. That the sky is painted by robots
- D. That space is full of glitter

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