Science

Quarter 2 – Module 6
Electromagnetism in Everyday Life

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

 Lesson 1: The Basic Principles of
Magnetism

What’s In

Do you know what is a compass? Have you tried using it to find directions? If you
have, then you’ve done something that was first discovered by the Chinese people in the
twelfth century. Historians believe that the Chinese were the first to build compasses to
help them navigate. They made use of an important property found in certain materials that
had been discovered centuries before – magnetism.
To know more about how magnetism was discovered, read the selection below. For
this activity, read the history of magnetism and answer the questions that follow.

ACTIVITY 1.1

MAGNETS: KNOWN SINCE ANTIQUITY

Magnetism, the natural force that causes magnets to function as they do, became
known to people many centuries ago. They knew that the black metallic ore called
lodestone has a property of drawing iron particles into it.

The Greek philosopher named Thales, who lived during the sixth century B.C., is said
to have been the first to observe this property. After his time, the lodestone was often
mentioned in ancient writings. It was given the name “magnet” after Magnesia, a district in
the Asia Minor where large magnetic deposits were found. Years later, they found out that

18
4
the thing they called magnet does not only attract iron rings but also attracted other types of
rings suspended from one another forming a long chain.

The Roman Lucretius, who lived in the first century B.C., who is known to have written
about magnetism in the early times tried to explain magnetism in terms of his Atomic Theory.
There are also many legendary accounts of the properties of the magnet. The Arabian Nights
is one example. It contains the story of a ship that approached an island made out of a
magnetic rock. The ship fell completely to pieces because all the iron nails were pulled out
of it through the attraction of the rock.

Another tale was based on the story of a shepherd named Magnes. One day when
he was tending his flock of sheep on the slopes of Mount Ida in Asia Minor, he noticed that
the iron tip of his staff was being pulled toward the ground. He dug up the ground and found
out that the large deposit of lodestone was attracting his staff. Thereafter the lodestone
was called magnet in honor of the shepherd who had discovered it, and later was called
magnetite. Scholars have pointed out that this story originated long after the word “magnet”
was first commonly used.

Test your understanding by completing the blanks.

1. The black metallic ore that has the property of attracting pieces of iron is
called .
2. The natural force of attracting pieces of iron is called .
3. The word magnet was believed to have been derived from the name of a shepherd
named .
4. Lodestone was later called for its magnetic property.
5. _______________was a Greek philosopher who first discovered the magnetic
property of lodestone.

19
5
 Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Which materials were attracted by the magnet? What are they made of?

2. Was using one end of the magnet different from using the other end?

3. Give one practical use of a magnet at home.

What is It

Magnets and Magnetic Fields

Over the course of centuries, much of the mystery that once surrounded magnetism
has been dispelled. Today, the lodestone or the natural magnet is no longer familiar in the
study of magnetism because practically all magnets nowadays are artificial. This lesson
discusses the different types of magnets, their properties and also about magnetic fields.

A. Magnetic Substances
A substance that possesses magnetic properties is
a magnet. It attracts iron and faces the same direction
when moving freely. All materials have the property of
being attracted or repelled. Substances like iron and

21

7
 steel are strongly attracted to magnets. These substances
are called ferromagnetic. Nickel and cobalt are also
ferromagnetic. These materials are also often called
magnetic materials.

Some substances, such as wood, aluminum,

platinum and oxygen, are just slightly attracted by strong
magnets. These substances are called paramagnetic.
Meanwhile, substances that are slightly repelled by
magnets are called diamagnetic. Table salt, mercury,
zinc and gold are diamagnetic substances.

Substances that are already magnetized are called magnetite. These are called
natural or permanent magnets. Lodestones are permanent magnets. An ALNICO magnet
is a permanent magnet containing aluminum, nickel and cobalt. Permanent magnets are
used in radio speakers, audio-video devices and other electrical appliances.

On the other hand, materials that can be made into magnets are called artificial
magnets. Artificial magnets are made by induced magnetism. This is done by stroking
ferromagnetic materials in the same direction several times with a magnet. This process is
called magnetization. Temporary magnets are those of soft iron that are easy to magnetize
and they lose their magnetic property very easily. Electromagnet is an example of a
temporary magnet. It is a magnet that can be switched on and off. It is also used to lift heavy
objects in industrial sites and in forwarding businesses.

B. Magnets and Magnetic Forces

Study Figure 1.4 above. What have you observed? As you can see, every magnet
has two poles. You cannot produce a magnet with only one pole. The areas of greatest
magnetic force are called magnetic poles. The end of the magnet that points north is
called the north magnetic pole (N pole) and the end that points south is the
south magnetic pole (S pole).

22
8
 Rules of Magnets

You were right with your observations regarding magnets, about some materials
that magnets can attract and some that repel. The diagrams below illustrate the rules of
magnets.

Uses of Magnets
There are five elements that can be made into magnets: iron, cobalt, nickel,
aluminum, gadolinium and dysprosium. None of these elements can be magnetized
permanently. To make a permanent magnet, you need an alloy. An alloy is a mixture of
two or more metals. The classic material for making a permanent magnet is steel, an alloy
of carbon and iron. The best material for a permanent magnet is magnequench, which was
invented in 1985. This material is mostly iron, with a little neodymium and boron added.

Ships use compasses to find the correct course through vast areas of oceans where
no land is in sight. A ship’s compass is a permanent magnet attached to a card marked in
degrees that float in alcohol.

Since magnets are flexible, they can be made into many sizes and shapes. There
are several magnets hidden inside your house. Electric clocks, motors, stereos,
loudspeakers and television sets all contain magnets. One magnet that is easy to detect is
the magnet found on the door of your refrigerator.

C. Magnetic Domains, Magnetic Fields and Magnetic Lines of Force

Although most materials cannot be magnetized, iron and a few others such as
steel, nickel and cobalt can be made so. These materials have regions called magnetic
domains. Magnetic domains, which are clusters of many atoms, can be thought of as tiny
magnets.

23
9
Look at this!

Substances that can be magnetized can be thought of as consisting of many

tiny magnets. How does the arrangement of the “tiny magnets” differ between the
unmagnetized and magnetized substances?

BEFORE: When the material is unmagnetized, the domains are not lined up in a definite way. In
other words, they are randomly arranged.

AFTER: When the material is magnetized, the domains line up in a definite pattern. All the
north poles point in one direction, and the south poles in the other.

So, if you cut a magnet in half, the cut ends become poles. You then have two
similar magnets, each with an N pole and an S pole. Breaking a magnet does not greatly
affect the alignment of domains in the pieces, so each piece is still a magnet.

The closer you bring two magnets together, the stronger the force between them
becomes. Move them apart and the force gets weaker. If you move them farther from each
other, you will eventually feel no force. The force changes strength as you move within the
magnet’s magnetic field. A magnetic field is the space around a magnet in which its force
affects objects. A good picture of a magnetic field can be made by sprinkling iron filings
around a magnet. (See Figure 1.10 below.)

10
Discussion

The magnetic field changes the filings into little magnets that attract one
another. This makes the filings form long and thin chains. The chains line up
following the shape of the magnetic field.
Analysis
Figure 1.11 shows the magnetic field around a bar
magnet. The arrowheads show the direction of the magnetic
lines of force, which come out of the N pole and enter the S
pole. The concentration of the lines of force at the poles
shows that the field is strongest there.

Figure 1.12 shows the magnetic field around a

U-shaped magnet. The shape crowds the lines of force
together in between the two poles. This means that the
magnetic force between the poles becomes very strong. This
is also the reason why a horseshoe magnet can lift greater
weights than a bar magnet.

When studying magnets during the 1820s, Michael Faraday described magnetic
fields through magnetic lines of force (see Fig. 1.13).

(a) (b)
Fig. 1.13 Magnetic Lines of Force
(a) between two unlike poles (b)between two like poles

Magnetic lines of force never overlap even when the poles of the two magnets
are brought close to one another.

28
14
15. Which of the following is generated in an electromagnetic induction?
A. Magnetism LESSON 2:
B. Electrical Energy ELECTROMAGNETISM
C. Mechanical Energy
D. Chemical Energy

What’s In

What did you do today? Did you listen to a recorder?

Did you use or hear a motor at work in a mixer, blender,

refrigerator, washing machine, hair dryer, fan, or a vacuum
cleaner? Or were you able to hear the sound of a buzzer, a
doorbell or perhaps a cellular phone?

If you have observed any of these devices or machines,

you have just witnessed the combined effects of electricity and magnetism at work.
Scientists have learned how to use the relationship between electricity and magnetism
to produce electric currents and to make machines that would make these devices
function. These scientists and inventors have made amazing and tremendous changes
in the way you live day by day.

What’s New

ACTIVITY 2.1
MAKE YOUR OWN ELECTROMAGNET

Materials

Large nail Copper wire Dry cell Paper clips

Procedure
1. Gather all the materials needed.
2. Wrap the copper wire around the large nail.
3. Connect the free ends of the wire to a dry cell.
4. Place the iron nail coil near pieces of nail, paper clips and pins .

21
21
5. Observe what happens and jot down your observations.

6. Now, disconnect the wire from the dry cell. What happened next?

What Is It

Electricity Makes Magnetism

In the morning of February 16, 1820, an important discovery was made by

accident. Professor Hans Christian Oersted in Denmark was giving a lecture on
electricity to his students. He closed a switch to demonstrate the flow of current. There
happened to be a compass nearby. Every time the professor closed the switch, the
compass needle turned. Oersted had then
discovered that an electric current is surrounded by a magnetic field.

His discovery made him conclude that a current- carrying wire produces a magnetic field.
This discovery led to the principle of electromagnet.

Now then, what is an electromagnet? An electromagnet is a

magnet that can be switched on and off. It is a solenoid with a core.
The strength of an electromagnet can be made stronger by increasing
the number of turns on the core.

22
22
 Uses of Electromagnets

1. Electromagnets are used for hauling large pieces of

iron and steel in a steel mill and for other lifting
purposes. These magnets can lift several tons of scrap
iron or steel. Powerful electromagnets can even lift
automobiles. They are most often used to move heavy
pieces of metal around junkyards as well.

2. These are also used when removing steel splinters and

shrapnel from the delicate parts of the body such as the
eyes and other internal organs.

3. To make the following devices work:

. Galvanometer— An instrument used for detecting or measuring small electric currents
by measuring the mechanical movements that result from the electromagnetic forces
produced by the current. A common galvanometer design consists of a moving coil of
wire and a stationary magnet. The coil turns against a spring so that the greater the
current in the coil, the greater its deflection. A galvanometer for measuring electric
current in a circuit, usually in amperes, is called an ammeter. If it measures electric
current in volts, it is called a voltmeter.

scale pointer

un
permanent magnet i
formradia
lmagnet
i

23
23
Electric Bell—Another popular device operated by an electromagnet.

armature
hammer
gong

electromagnet

To ring the bell, one presses the button. This completes the circuit, allowing
electric current to flow through. The electric magnet is magnetized and attracts the
soft iron armature. Then the hammer attached to the armature strikes the gong. As
long as the button is pressed, there is a constant “flow and break” in the current. This
action results in the vibration of the armature and the hammer, producing a continuous
ringing sound.

C. Electric Buzzer— It is similar in construction to the electric bell. However, it has no

hammer or gong. The buzzing sound is produced by the vibration of the armature as it
is attracted and sent back to the contact screw.

24
24
A. Magnetic Field and Electric Current

Shortly after Oersted’s discovery that electricity

produces magnetic field, scientists experimented with the
opposite possibility. In 1831, Michael Faraday, an English
scientist, discovered that a moving wire through a magnetic
field could produce an electric current. At about the same
time, an American scientist named Joseph Henry made a
similar discovery. A current produced by a magnetic field is
an induced current.

Michael Faraday concluded that when a wire is moved through a magnetic field,
a current is generated in the wire. This process of generating current by the relative
motion between a wire and magnetic field is called electromagnetic induction.

25
 Now, if we moved the magnet in and out of the magnetic field, is there a
current being produced? Yes, the effect is the same, but if the magnet does not move,
no current is produced, because no magnetic lines of force exist.

What I Have Learned

Direction: Match the phrase from COLUMN A with the term being described in
COLUMN B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B

9. discovered that a moving wire through a

28
2. What force makes the coil spin?

LESSON 3:
3. Can you make the motor turn to the opposite direction? If so, how?

MOTORS AND GENERATORS

4. What type of energy is the input to the motor? What type of energy is the output
from the motor?

What Is It

What is a generator?
A generator operates on the
principle of electromagnetic
induction. A generator is a device
that converts mechanical energy
to electrical energy. It consists of
a U-shaped magnet that produces
a magnetic field, and an insulated
loop of wire. The wire loop is
attached to a power source placed
between the magnetic poles. The
power source slowly begins to
rotate the wire clockwise.
As the wire loop moves, it cuts through the magnetic lines of force that induce
current. As the rotation of the wire loop continues, it moves parallel to the

40
 magnetic lines of force. When the wire is in this position, no lines of force are cut,
therefore, there is no electricity. As it moves further clockwise, the lines of force are
cut again producing electricity. The alternate movement of the wire causes alternating
current. A rectifier changes alternating current into direct current. A moving loop cuts
through a magnetic field, which generates current in the wire.

Types of Generators

• An a.c. generator is a rotating loop in a magnetic field which generates current that
fluctuates in value and changes direction every half-rotation of the loop. The current
produced is called alternating current (a.c.).

• A simple d.c. generator is a rotating loop in a magnetic field which generates current
that fluctuates in value but does not change direction.

• The only difference between the simple a.c. and simple d.c. generator is the
commutator used. An a.c. generator makes use of two slip rings while a d.c. generator
makes use of a split ring commutator.

What is a motor?

One of the most important uses of electromagnetism is in the electric motor.

An electric motor is a device that converts electrical energy to mechanical
energy. A motor contains a movable electromagnet. If an alternating current is
supplied to the electromagnet, its poles are reversed. Where it was once attracted by
the opposite pole of fixed magnet, it will next be repelled. This process is repeated
many times each second.

41
 There are many types of electric motors. Each is designed for a particular
purpose or use. They all operate on the principle of electromagnetism.

What I Have Learned

ACTIVITY 3.
COMPARE THE ELECTRIC MOTOR

Basis Electric Motor Generator

Function
Electricity
Driven element
Current
Example

42
What I Can Do

ACTIVITY 3.3

43