India, April 22 -- What Is The Hall Effect?

Discovered by Edwin Hall in 1879, the Hall effect is a phenomenon when voltage (potential difference) is generated across a current-carrying conductor when it is placed in a magnetic field perpendicular to the existing current.

Imagine a thin sheet of metal with a current running through it. If this metal is placed in a magnetic field perpendicular, a voltage will be created across its width.

The Hall effect works because the magnetic field exerts a force on the moving charged particles (current carriers) within the conductor, pushing them to one side of the conductor. This builds up charge on the sides of the conductor, which creates a voltage across it. Interestingly, the Hall effect can al...