Most people know that there are tiny particles in everything from the air to our blood called atoms that makeup everything. What many people don’t know is that magnets are made of the same thing.
So how do magnets work? They have several different properties that all work together to create this amazing phenomenon to be reckoned with.
As old as civilization itself, they are found throughout practically every corner of our world. From the motors that power our cars to the televisions that connect us to our friends, thousands of miles away, magnets are everywhere.
What exactly are these powerful objects, and how do they work? Let’s take a look below.
What Are Magnets?
A magnet is an object or material that produces a magnetic field, which is invisible but is responsible for the magnet’s most notable property.
The first magnets were lodestones, naturally magnetic pieces of the mineral magnetite. The word magnet comes from the Greek word for lodestone, ‘magnḗtislíthos’, meaning ‘stone from Magnesia’, Layers of Magnetite (an iron oxide) align in a particular way to give lodestones their power.
How Do Magnets Work?
Magnetism is a force that can attract or repel objects. Magnets have north and south poles. Poles are attracted to each other when they are opposite, while poles that are the same repel each other.
When a piece of iron is rubbed along a magnet, the iron’s north-seeking poles of the atoms line up in the same direction. The force that the aligned atoms generate is what creates a magnetic field.
How to Harness Its Power?
The key to harnessing the power of magnets is understanding the principles of magnetic attraction and repulsion. Magnets are attracted to objects made of iron, steel, and nickel. They are repelled by objects made of aluminum, brass, and copper.
By harnessing the power of these attractions and repulsions, magnets can be used to move objects, generate electricity, and even create force fields.
Everyday Life Usage
We may not realize the variety of uses of magnets in our everyday lives. You can find them on all sorts of devices, from your refrigerator door to the pedals of your bicycle.
They’re not just for making things stick to your fridge. They are used in all sorts of applications, from loudspeakers to MRI machines. Click here for more of its specifications, and how a certain type can be useful to you.
An Underrated Tool
In this guide, we’ve answered the question “how do magnets work”.
The north pole and the south pole of a magnet are where the most magnetic strength is concentrated. By adding a force to one pole, it creates a magnetic field. This field is what allows a magnet to interact with other magnetic materials, and ultimately what allows it
Magnets are an important part of our lives and we use them in many ways. By understanding how they work, we can better utilize them in our everyday lives.
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