A metal spring can be used as a solenoid. The spring is stretched slightly, and a current is passed through it. The resulting magnetic field will cause the spring to
a. collapse (shorten)
b. stretch (lengthen)
c. not change (nothing happens)
d. ranslate along the current direction
a. collapse (shorten)
To determine what will happen to the metal spring when a current is passed through it, we need to understand the behavior of a solenoid. A solenoid is a coil of wire wound tightly in the shape of a helix. When a current passes through a solenoid, it creates a magnetic field around it.
In this case, the metal spring is being used as a solenoid. When the spring is slightly stretched and a current is passed through it, the resulting magnetic field will interact with the spring.
The behavior of the spring depends on the direction of the current and the orientation of the magnetic field lines. If the current is passing through the spring in a direction that strengthens the magnetic field inside the spring, it will cause the spring to collapse or shorten. This is because the magnetic field lines produced by the current will exert a force in a direction that compresses the spring.
On the contrary, if the current is passing through the spring in a direction that weakens the magnetic field inside the spring, it will cause the spring to stretch or lengthen. The magnetic field lines produced by the current will exert a force in a direction that extends the spring.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
a. collapse (shorten)
b. stretch (lengthen)
The exact behavior of the metal spring as a solenoid will depend on factors such as the strength of the current, the number of windings in the spring, and the magnetic properties of the material.