Question

What is the torque exerted by a bar magnet on itself due to its field?

(a) Maximum

(b) Zero

(c) Minimum

(d) Depends on the direction of the magnetic field

This question was posed to me in a job interview.

Question is taken from Magnetism and Gauss’s Law in section Magnetism and Matter of Physics – Class 12

Answer 1

Correct answer is (b) Zero

The best explanation: A bar magnet does not exert a force or torque on itself due to its field. But an element of a current-carrying conductor experiences forces due to another element of the conductor. So, the torque exerted by a bar magnet on itself is zero.