Oersted became interested in electrical phenomena in the year
1800 when he came to know about the invention of the electric
battery by Alessandro Volta. It was at this time that various
scientists were busy trying to find a connection between
magnetism and electricity. Oersted predicted a connection
between the two in the year 1813; unfortunately his prediction
was only based on philosophical grounds which were not enough.
It was during a class demonstration in the year 1819 that
Oersted found definite proof of the theory that electricity had
a magnetic field. He did not publish his discovery stating that
he wanted to investigate the matter thoroughly. Further
investigation into the subject led to the knowledge of the
magnetic field being circular and the needle always pointing at
a right angle. Oersted also discovered that if the flow of the
electric current was reversed then the opposite side of the
needle was attracted. It was in July 1820 that Oersted finally
published his discovery. Oersted’s published w