A circular coil carrying current behaves as a

Options

A. bar magnet
B. horse shoe magnet
C. magnetic shell
D. solenoid

Answer

To solve the question "A circular coil carrying current behaves as a...", we will analyze the behavior of a circular coil when current flows through it.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Circular Coil**:
- A circular coil is essentially a loop of wire through which electric current can flow.

2. **Direction of Current Flow**:
- When current flows through the coil, we need to determine the direction of the current. For this example, let's assume the current is flowing in an anti-clockwise direction when viewed from the top.

3. **Magnetic Field Generation**:
- According to the right-hand rule, if you curl the fingers of your right hand in the direction of the current (anti-clockwise), your thumb will point in the direction of the magnetic field lines produced by the coil. In this case, the thumb points upwards, indicating that the magnetic field is directed outwards from the top of the coil.

4. **Identifying Magnetic Poles**:
- The face of the coil where the magnetic field lines emerge (the top face in this case) behaves like a north pole. Conversely, if we look at the bottom face of the coil, the current will appear to flow in a clockwise direction, which means that the bottom face behaves like a south pole.

5. **Conclusion**:
- Since one face of the coil acts as a north pole and the opposite face acts as a south pole, we can conclude that a circular coil carrying current behaves like a magnet. Specifically, it behaves as a magnetic dipole or magnetic cell.

### Final Answer:
A circular coil carrying current behaves as a **magnetic cell**.