What are Lines of flux?

• A. Invisible lines of magnetic force passing between the poles of a magnet.
• B. Invisible lines of energy in electrical circuits.
• C. The lines on a compass indicating magnetic declination.
• D. The paths of ionized particles in a magnetosphere.

Answer: (A)

Lines of flux visualize the magnetic field. They are invisible lines of magnetic force that travel from the magnet’s north pole to its south pole, forming closed loops through and around the magnet. The closer the lines are, the stronger the field at that location. This visualization explains why a compass needle points in a specific direction—it aligns with the magnetic field lines.

They aren’t energy lines in electrical circuits, nor lines that indicate magnetic declination on a chart, and they aren’t the literal paths of ionized particles in space. Those ideas describe different phenomena; lines of flux specifically depict the direction and strength of the magnetic field around a magnet.