Think of a wire with an electric current flowing through it. Remember, electric current is made by electrons flowing through the wire. The flow of electrons through a wire is much like the flow of water through a pipe. As the electrons flow through the wire, they are all lined up together and are going in the same direction. A magnet is created when all the electrons in a metal bar are lined up in the same direction. This is also what happens to a wire with an electric current flowing through it. A wire with an electric current flowing through it has a magnetic field.