What happens if a compass is placed near a current-carrying conductor?

When a compass is placed near a current-carrying conductor, the magnetic field generated by the electric current interacts with the magnetized needle of the compass. The compass needle, which is a small magnet itself, will respond to this magnetic field.

The correct answer is that the compass needle will align itself at right angles to the conductor. This alignment occurs because the magnetic field produced by the current-carrying wire circulates around the conductor according to the right-hand grip rule. If you point your thumb in the direction of the current, your fingers curl in the direction of the magnetic field lines. Thus, at a given point in space near the wire, the magnetic field will exert a force on the compass needle that causes it to position itself perpendicular to the conductor.

In contrast, the compass needle does not align parallel to the conductor because that would mean it follows the direction of current flow rather than the magnetic field lines created by it. It also does not point towards the North, since the magnetic field of the conductor overrides the Earth's magnetic field in its vicinity. Oscillation is also not the case; the compass needle stabilizes based on the magnetic influence, rather than moving unpredictably.