Magnetic Force Overview

Magnetic Field Fundamentals

• A magnetic field surrounds a magnet and is invisible, detectable only through its effects.
• It generates attractive (pull) or repulsive (push) forces on objects.
• Magnets can influence ferromagnetic materials such as iron, nickel, and cobalt.

Properties of Magnets

• Magnets operate without physical contact and exert force at a distance.
• Each magnet has a North and a South pole.
• Magnets interact in two ways: attract when opposite poles face each other (N/S) and repel when like poles face each other (N/N or S/S).
• Magnets can temporarily magnetize ferromagnetic metals.

Earth's Magnetic Field

• Earth's core, composed of molten nickel and iron, generates a vast magnetic field known as the magnetosphere.
• This magnetic field serves as protection against harmful cosmic radiation, including solar winds and cosmic rays.
• Migratory birds possess the ability to sense the Earth's magnetic field, aiding in navigation.

Historical Significance of Magnetism

• The first practical application of magnets was in compasses, which detect magnetic North and help locate other objects with small magnetic fields.
• Distinctions between magnetic and geographic poles include:
  • North magnetic pole
  • North geographic pole
  • South geographic pole (rotation axis)
  • South magnetic pole