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Name: ross 
Status: educator
Age: 10
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 1999
Question:
can a magnet bend light

Replies:
No.

Ok, that's not quite true. A magnetic field contains energy, and energy, through its equivalence to mass, has a gravitational field, which can bend light. But the effect on light of any magnetic field we'll ever see would be so small it's utterly negligible.

Tim Mooney
Update:6/10/2002

Light is electromagnetic radiation consisting of an orthogonal electric field and magnetic field. The cross product of these two fields yield the direction of propogation (E x H = dir. Prop). Therefore, light can be bent in the effect that it's polarization changes. This is the principle that allows those nifty flat LCD screens to work, as well as numerous fiber optic sensors.

Mark D.


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