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Answer the following. (Science 2026 31/1/1 Q36)

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ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 31/1/1 · 3 marks · Short answer

CBSE Class 10 Science 2026: question 36

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 31/1/1, section C, question 36, for 3 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q36 · 3 marks · Short answerCompetency-basedMagnetic Effects of Electric Current

Answer the following.

  1. (a)

    Describe an activity to show that a current carrying conductor, placed in an external magnetic field experiences a force.

    3 marks
  2. (b)

    Imagine that you are sitting in a chamber with your back to one wall. An electron beam, moving horizontally towards the front wall from the back wall, is deflected by a strong magnetic field to your right side. Find the direction of the magnetic field.

    0 marks

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 31/1/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

For (a), recall the NCERT activity with an aluminium rod hung between the poles of a magnet.

Hint 2

For (b), first change the electron flow into conventional current, which flows the opposite way. Then apply Fleming's left-hand rule.

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. (a) Procedure: Hang a small aluminium rod AB horizontally from a stand using two connecting wires. Place a strong horse-shoe magnet so that the rod lies between its two poles, at right angles to the magnetic field. Connect the rod in series with a battery, a key and a rheostat. Close the key so that current flows through the rod (say from B to A). A labelled diagram of this set-up may also be drawn.

    1 mark

  2. (a) Observation: As soon as current flows, the rod is displaced (it moves to one side). If the current is reversed, or the poles of the magnet are interchanged, the rod moves the opposite way. This shows that a current-carrying conductor placed in a magnetic field experiences a force.

    1 mark

  3. (b) An electron beam moving from the back wall to the front wall is the same as a conventional current from the front wall towards the back wall. The force on it is towards your right. By Fleming's left-hand rule (middle finger = current pointing backward, thumb = force pointing right), the forefinger points vertically downward. So the magnetic field is vertically downwards.

    1 mark

Answer: (a) Aluminium rod between the poles of a horse-shoe magnet is displaced when current flows. (b) Magnetic field is vertically downwards.

Where the marks are

  • Describes the set-up: rod suspended between the poles of a horse-shoe magnet, connected to battery and key (diagram acceptable) (1 mark)
  • Observation: rod is displaced when current is passed (1 mark)
  • (b) Field is vertically downward (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from Magnetic Effects of Electric Current, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 31/1/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.