Magnetism Basics

Definition and Basics

• Magnetism is a physical phenomenon produced by the interaction of magnetic fields
• Magnetic fields are created by the movement of charged particles, such as electrons
• Magnets are objects that produce a magnetic field

Types of Magnetism

• Permanent Magnetism: exhibits a permanent magnetic field, e.g. neodymium magnets
• Electromagnetism: a magnetic field is generated by an electric current, e.g. electromagnets
• Temporary Magnetism: a magnetic field is induced by an external magnetic field, e.g. soft iron

Magnetic Fields

• Magnetic Field Lines: imaginary lines that emerge from the north pole and enter the south pole of a magnet
• Magnetic Field Strength: measured in tesla (T) or gauss (G)
• Magnetic Field Direction: determined by the right-hand rule

Magnetic Forces

• Attraction: opposite poles (north-south) attract each other
• Repulsion: like poles (north-north or south-south) repel each other
• Magnetic Force: depends on the strength of the magnetic field, distance, and orientation of the poles

Magnetic Properties of Materials

• Ferromagnetic: highly attracted to magnetic fields, e.g. iron, nickel, and cobalt
• Paramagnetic: weakly attracted to magnetic fields, e.g. aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen
• Diamagnetic: repelled by magnetic fields, e.g. copper, silver, and gold
• Ferrimagnetic: exhibits a spontaneous magnetic moment, e.g. ferrite

Applications of Magnetism

• Electric Motors: convert electrical energy into mechanical energy
• Generators: convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce images of the body
• Magnetic Storage: uses magnetic fields to store data on devices such as hard drives and magnetic stripes

Definition and Basics

• Magnetism is a physical phenomenon resulting from the interaction of magnetic fields
• Magnetic fields are created by the movement of charged particles, such as electrons
• Magnets are objects that produce a magnetic field, generating attractive and repulsive forces

Types of Magnetism

• Permanent magnets, like neodymium magnets, exhibit a permanent magnetic field
• Electromagnets generate a magnetic field through an electric current
• Temporary magnets, such as soft iron, have a magnetic field induced by an external magnetic field

Magnetic Fields

• Magnetic field lines emerge from the north pole and enter the south pole of a magnet
• Magnetic field strength is measured in tesla (T) or gauss (G)
• The right-hand rule determines the direction of the magnetic field

Magnetic Forces

• Opposite poles (north-south) attract each other, while like poles (north-north or south-south) repel each other
• Magnetic force depends on the strength of the magnetic field, distance, and orientation of the poles

Magnetic Properties of Materials

• Ferromagnetic materials, like iron, nickel, and cobalt, are highly attracted to magnetic fields
• Paramagnetic materials, such as aluminum, oxygen, and nitrogen, are weakly attracted to magnetic fields
• Diamagnetic materials, like copper, silver, and gold, are repelled by magnetic fields
• Ferrimagnetic materials, like ferrite, exhibit a spontaneous magnetic moment

Applications of Magnetism

• Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy
• Generators convert mechanical energy into electrical energy
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce body images
• Magnetic storage uses magnetic fields to store data on devices like hard drives and magnetic stripes