The greatest contribution made by Hans Christian Orsted is the discovery of electromagnetism. Some early scientists such as William Gilbert and Benjamin Franklin suspected a connection between electricity and magnetism. But, until the 1820s, electricity and magnetism were treated as separate entities.
William Gilbert experimented with electricity in the early 17th century hoping to improve maritime navigation using magnetic compasses. Many of Benjamin Franklin’s experiments were aimed at a better understanding of the relationship between electricity and magnetism.
Ultimately, it was Orsted who discovered the connection. He put a compass needle near a wire, then connected the wire to the terminals of a battery. The needle set itself at right angles to the wire, demonstrating that electricity could create magnetism.
However, Orsted did not come up with a suitable explanation for the phenomenon immediately after the experiment. He engaged in intensive investigations for three months and then published his findings. Orsted proved that an electric current produces a magnetic field as it flows through a wire.
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