Who discovered that a compass needle gets deflected when an electric current passes through a nearby metallic wire?

Subject: General Science

Topic: Magnetic Effects of Electric Current

Options:

1. Option A: Andre-Marie Ampere
2. Option B: Hans Christian Oersted
3. Option C: Michael Faraday
4. Option D: Georg Simon Ohm

Correct Answer:

Option B: Hans Christian Oersted

Explanation:

Hans Christian Oersted accidentally discovered in 1820 that a compass needle got deflected when an electric current passed through a metallic wire placed nearby. This showed that electricity and magnetism were related phenomena.