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Then, at some point, the field would go into two directions simultaneously, which doesn't make much sense.

The magnetic field lines form continuous closed loops.The tangent to the field line at a point represent the direction of the net magnetic field B,at that point.The magnetic field lines do not intersect,if they did, the direction of the magnetic field would not be unique at the point of intersection.

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Q: What would happen if field lines crossed?
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What would happen if a transversal crossed 2 lines that were not parallel?

You would get a set of angles whose interrelationships would be more complex.


What would happen if supplementary lines weren't supplementry?

Then they would not be supplementary lines.


Why do two magnetic lines never intersect each other?

It is important to realize that magnetic lines do not really exist! They are a tool to visualize the magnetic field, but the field is continuous and does not exist solely inside lines. The direction of the lines gives the direction of the magnetic field, the density of lines, its strength. This also explains why no two field lines can ever intersect; a field line carries information about the direction of the magnetic field, if they would intersect an ambiguity would arise about the direction (not to mention a field of apparent infinite strength since the density would be infinite at the point of crossing). The field lines are almost never used in explicit calculations; instead one uses a vector, an entity which contains information about the magnitude and direction of a field in every point in space and time. Adding two magnetic fields is then easy; just add the vectors of both fields in every point in space (and time). You can use the resulting vector field to draw field lines again if you want. An easy way to imagine what would happen to field lines when they might intersect is to look at them as being such vectors. Imagine you have one field line pointing to the right, and another one pointing up. The result of adding would be a field line pointing somewhere in the up-right direction (the exact direction depending on the relative magnitudes of the fields). If the fields are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction they would cancel; the field line disappears. But this is to be expected! The magnetic fields canceled each other in that point! One has to take care with this analogy however; as for field lines the measure of magnitude is their density; which is an undefined thing if you are considering just one field line per field. For a vector however, the measure of magnitude is its length. Therefore adding two field lines of the same magnitude and pointing in the same direction would result in a vector of twice the length, but in field line language you would have to double the density at that point. This is one of the reasons field lines are used for visualization but not calculation. By the way, all these things apply to other fields as well. Electric fields can also be represented by field lines, and they as well cannot intersect (for the same reasons). Electric field lines, however, are not necessarily closed loops like magnetic field lines (this has to do with the non-existence of magnetic monopoles).


What would happen if parallel lines weren't parallel?

They would 'intersect'. ('cross', have one point in common)


Why the imaginary lines of magnet never intersect?

If they would intersect, that would mean that at one point in space, the field lines point to two different direction simultaneously. A compass needle would have to point to two different directions at once.

Related questions

What would happen if a transversal crossed 2 lines that were not parallel?

You would get a set of angles whose interrelationships would be more complex.


What happen to the magnetic field of a wire when change the direction of the current in the wire?

Direction of the magnetic lines too would get changed


What would happen if a chicken crossed the road?

It would go to the other side


What would happen if you crossed a cat and leprauchaum?

You would get a cat with a beard and a pot of gold.


How do you use the word less carefully in a sentence?

Of course I would have crossed the mine field more quickly if I had crossed it less carefully!


What type of field lines would two magnets make if two south poles are brought together?

The magnetic field lines from the two magnets would repel each other, causing the field lines to spread out in all directions. This would create a distorted and chaotic pattern of field lines near the magnets.


What would happen if supplementary lines weren't supplementry?

Then they would not be supplementary lines.


What would happen if a charged particle strikes the earth's magnetic field at the equator?

It would be induced to follow the lines of force in a clockwise spiral. As the lines of force at the equator are parallel to the surface of the Earth, the charged particle would be deflected northwards.


Electric field lines point in the opposite direction charges would move if they were in the field?

positive


What would happen if lines were not perpendicular?

If lines were not perpendicular,they would either be intersecting or parrallel.


What would happen if you crossed Harry Potter with a Smurf?

You would get a blue, Mayan wizzard You would get Harry Smurf


When Electric field lines point in the opposite direction changes would move if they were in the field?

If electric field lines point in opposite directions, charges placed in the field would experience a force in the direction of the stronger field. Charges will move in response to this net force, accelerating in the direction of the stronger field lines.