Fun with Magnets

Materials that are attracted by a magnet are called magnetic materials.

A magnet can stick to objects which contain magnetic materials.

Two names for a magnetic rock are load stone and magnetite.

The Greeks discovered naturally occurring magnets of magnetite in Turkey.

Bar magnets are usually made of ferromagnetic materials, which are elements that can naturally have a magnetic field. Each end of a bar magnet is called a pole — one is north and the other south. When freely suspended, the magnet will align itself so that the end of its northern pole points towards the Earth’s magnetic north pole.

A rectangular iron bar, an iron needle, a blade or an iron nail can be turned into a magnet by rubbing a bar magnet over it.

The bar magnet consists of two poles i.e. north pole and south pole.

A magnet with a single pole doesn't exist. All magnets have two poles, and they are called dipoles.

In these magnets, the poles are located at the two free ends of the 'U' shape.

The magnetic needle in the compass points in the north-south direction. By aligning the dial properly, the directions can be found.

The blade of a pencil sharpener is made of iron. Iron is a magnetic material. Since magnets can attract objects made of magnetic materials, a pencil sharpener gets attracted towards both poles of a magnet.

In an electric bell, U-shaped electro magnet is used.

Cylindrical magnet is used in speakers, cranes.

Magnetic fields are produced by electric currents, which can be macroscopic currents in wires, or microscopic currents associated with electrons in atomic orbits.

If a magnet loses its property within a very short period of time then it is called a temporary magnet. They are usually made up of soft iron.