How does a solenoid behave like a magnet? Can you determine the north and south poles of a current carrying solenoid with a help of bar magnet? Explain.

Explanation

(a) One end of a current-carrying solenoid is suspended acts like a north pole (N-pole) and the other end a south pole (S-pole). So, if a current-carrying solenoid is suspended freely by tying a thread in the middle, it will come to rest pointing in the north and south directions (just like a freely suspended bar magnet).
(b) We can determine the north and south poles of a current-carrying solenoid by using a bar magnet. This can be done as follows : We bring the north pole of a bar magnet near both the ends of a freely suspended current-carrying solenoid. The end of solenoid which will be repelled by the north pole of bar magnet and move away from it, will be its north pole. And the end of solenoid which will be attached by the north pole of the bar magnet and move towards it, will be its south pole.