Facts about magnets - Read more (2024)

FAQs

Facts about magnets - Read more? ›

Magnets are surrounded by an invisible magnetic field. Magnets generate a non-contact force. Only iron, nickel or cobalt are magnetic metals. Earth has a magnetic core made of iron.

Magnets are surrounded by an invisible magnetic field. Magnets generate a non-contact force. Only iron, nickel or cobalt are magnetic metals. Earth has a magnetic core made of iron.

A magnet is a rock or a piece of metal that can pull certain types of metal toward itself. The force of magnets, called magnetism, is a basic force of nature, like electricity and gravity.

Magnets attract, or pull, objects made with iron.

Paper clips, scissors, screws, nuts, and bolts are just a few common everyday objects that are magnetic. A magnet will not attract paper, rubber, wood, or plastic.

Magnets are important for electric generators because spinning a magnet near a coil of wire produces electricity. For example, a wind turbine is using wind to spin the magnet, a hydroelectric facility does the same, but with the power of moving water. A magnet is characterized by its two poles; North and South.

There are three types of magnets: permanent magnets, temporary magnets, and electromagnets.

The word magnet was adopted in Middle English from Latin magnetum "lodestone", ultimately from Greek μαγνῆτις [λίθος] (magnētis [lithos]) meaning "[stone] from Magnesia", a place in Anatolia where lodestones were found (today Manisa in modern-day Turkey).

Playing with magnets provides scientific fun for kids of all ages, and it also improves coordination and fine motor skills.

Metals that naturally attract magnets are known as ferromagnetic metals; these magnets will firmly stick to these metals. For example, iron, cobalt, steel, nickel, manganese, gadolinium, and lodestone are all ferromagnetic metals.

What are magnets made of? ›

Magnets are made of a group of metals called ferromagnetic metals. Nickel and iron are examples of these metals. Metals such as these are unique in their ability to be magnetized uniformly. By asking how a magnet works, we mean how the magnetic field of a magnet works on the object.

Wearing a small magnet or magnet powder on your body is generally considered safe for most people. However, prolonged exposure to strong magnetic fields may potentially interfere with medical devices like pacemakers or affect sensitive electronic devices.

While magnets can lose power over time, in the absence of external influences, an industrial magnet alloy should hypothetically remain magnetic for hundreds of years. However, magnets used in real-world applications experience external demagnetizing conditions.

Large inventory of neodymium, samarium cobalt, alnico, ceramic and flexible magnets are also available for on-line purchase at MagnetShop.com.