Magnetism: Magic or Just Cool Science?

 Have you ever wondered how a magnet works? On the surface, it almost looks like magic. It can pick up things made of iron. It can repel other magnets. It can even tell us north and south. Magnets are all around us. They keep your papers on the refrigerator. The can hold closet doors shut. They help motors to turn in all of our gadgets. But how does it work?

A magnet is a material that produces a magnetic field that attracts the metals Iron, Nickel, and Cobalt. It happens when most or all of the molecules line up going the same direction. This gives a metal a North and South Pole. Magnetic lines of force form like in the diagram. The more molecules that are aligned, the stronger the magnetic force.

There are two main types of magnets – temporary and permanent.  Temporary magnets are usually made of softer metal and do not keep their charge well. They are often used as electromagnets. These are magnetic when an electric current is flowing around them but lose their magnetism when the electricity is turned off. They can be used in cranes that move iron pieces from one place to another. They are usually mad of soft iron.

Permanent magnets are magnetic
all the time. They are usually made of much harder metal. The strongest magnets are mad of something called “neodymium”. They are usually made of three metals, neodymium, iron, and boron. They are so strong that larger ones have are really hard to pull apart. They can actually hurt you if you get pinched between them.

Magnets are fun to use, but you need to be careful and take care of them. Here are some rules for safe magnet use.

1. Never heat a magnet. If it gets too hot it may lose its magnetism.

2. Do not pound on them or drop them. This can disorganize the molecules and weaken the magnet.

3. Use a “keeper if provided with your magnet.

4. Never put magnets in your mouth, especially the neodymium magnets! There have been people who ended up with holes in their intestine because the magnets were so strong.

If you don’t have any magnets at home, there are many kinds of kits you can buy in stores and online. Many have little extras that make magnets even more fun. Have fun exploring!

Love, Papaw.

 Here is a fun video about magnets.