INTRODUCTION

The history of magnets goes back to 600 B.C. but it was only in the
20th century that scientists began to understand it and the
discovery of magnets applications began.
Magnetism was most likely first discovered in a type of magnetite
called lodestone, which is made up of iron oxide, a chemical
compound made up of iron and oxygen. The first known users of this
mineral, which they called a magnet because of its ability to attract
other pieces of the same material and iron, were the ancient Greeks.
William Gilbert (1540-1603), an Englishman, was the first to use
scientific methods to investigate the phenomenon of magnetism. He
also found that the Earth is a weak magnet in and of itself. Carl
Friedrich Gauss, a German, conducted the first theoretical studies
into the nature of the Earth's magnetism (1777-1855).
Hans Christian Oersted (1777-1851), a Danish physicist, was the first
to propose a link between electricity and magnetism. Experiments
on the interactions of magnetic and electric fields were carried out
by Frenchman Andre Marie Ampere (1775-1836) and Englishman
Michael Faraday (1791-1869), but it was the Scotsman James Clerk
Maxwell (1831-1879) who laid the theoretical foundation for
electromagnetism in the 19th century by demonstrating that
electricity and magnetism are the same things.

A Brief History of Electromagnets/Electromagnetism

1770-90: Cavendish and Coulomb establish foundations of
electrostatics
1820: Oersted makes the connection between flowing charge and
magnetism.
1820s: Ampere identifies currents as the source of all magnetism
(even permanent magnets)
1831: Faraday (also Henry) discovers that time-varying magnetic
fields serve as sources for electric fields
1864: Maxwell puts it all together.
1887: Hertz demonstrates the existence of electromagnetic
radiation.
Magnet and its types
Magnets are materials that attract or repel other metals. They have a magnetic field,
which is a region of invisible force around the magnet.
There are three main types of magnets: permanent, temporary, and electromagnets.
 Permanent magnets are magnets that retain their magnetism even when not
in the presence of another magnet. They are made from materials that contain
ferromagnetic atoms, such as iron, nickel, and cobalt
o Examples of permanent magnets include:
 Refrigerator magnets: These are small, permanent magnets that
are used to hold notes and other items on a refrigerator door.
 Horseshoe magnets: These are U-shaped magnets that have a
strong magnetic field at their poles. They are often used in toys
and games.
 Bar magnets: These are straight, rectangular magnets that have
a magnetic field at each end. They are often used in science
experiments.
 Temporary magnets are materials that only exhibit magnetism when in the
presence of a strong magnetic field. They are made from materials that
contain paramagnetic atoms. These atoms have tiny magnetic fields that are
randomly oriented, but they will align themselves with an external magnetic
field. When the external magnetic field is removed, the paramagnetic atoms
will return to their random orientation, and the material will lose its magnetism.
o An example of a temporary magnet is a nail that has been placed near
a strong magnet. The nail will become magnetized as long as it is near
the magnet, but it will lose its magnetism once it is removed.
 Electromagnets are magnets that only exhibit magnetism when an electric
current is flowing through them. They are made from coils of wire wrapped
around a ferromagnetic core. When an electric current is passed through the
wire, it creates a magnetic field that aligns the atoms in the core.
o Electromagnets are used in a wide variety of applications, including:
 Lifting heavy objects: Electromagnets are used in scrap yards to
lift and move cars and other large metal objects.
 MRI machines: Electromagnets are used to create the strong
magnetic field that is used in MRI machines.
  Loudspeakers: Electromagnets are used to create the magnetic
field that moves the speaker cone in a loudspeaker.

Here are some of the key properties of magnets:

 Attraction of ferromagnetic materials: Magnets attract certain materials,
most notably ferromagnetic materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt. These
materials are drawn towards the magnet due to the force exerted by the
magnetic field.
 Repulsion and Attraction between poles: A magnet has two distinct poles:
north and south. The crucial property here is that like poles repel each other,
while north and south poles attract each other. This forms the basis of various
magnetic interactions.
 Directive Property: When a magnet is freely suspended, it tends to align
itself in a north-south direction. This is because the Earth itself acts like a
giant magnet, and the magnet aligns its poles with the Earth's magnetic field.
 Magnetic field: Every magnet has an invisible magnetic field surrounding it.
This field exerts the force responsible for attracting and repelling other
magnets or ferromagnetic materials. The strength of the magnetic field varies
depending on the magnet's strength and distance from the object.
 Pair of Poles: Magnets cannot exist with a single pole. If you cut a magnet in
half, each piece will have a north and south pole. You cannot isolate a single
magnetic monopole.
 Strength of magnetic force: The force of attraction or repulsion between
magnets weakens with increasing distance. The greater the separation, the
weaker the magnetic pull or push.
These properties are what allow magnets to be used in various applications, from
simple refrigerator magnets to complex medical equipment like MRI machines.

Making of magnets
There are two main approaches to making magnets: industrial-scale
manufacturing and at-home methods for creating temporary or weak permanent
magnets.
Industrial Manufacturing:
 Powder Metallurgy: This is the most common method for creating permanent
magnets. It involves grinding the desired materials (often including iron,
nickel, and rare earth elements) into a fine powder. The powder is then
pressed into a mold and heated to a high temperature, causing the particles to
fuse together and align their magnetic properties. Finally, the magnet may
undergo additional treatments for specific magnetic properties.
 Sintering: Similar to powder metallurgy, sintering involves pressing a mixture
of magnetic materials into a mold. However, instead of melting the particles
together, they are heated to a high enough temperature to cause them to
bond without fully liquifying. This method is often used for creating ceramic
magnets.
At-Home Methods (for temporary or weak permanent magnets):
 Stroke Method: This is a simple method for magnetizing a small,
ferromagnetic object like a nail. Stroke a strong permanent magnet repeatedly
along the length of the nail in one direction. This aligns the tiny magnetic
domains within the nail, creating a weak temporary magnet.
 Double Touch Method: This method utilizes two strong permanent magnets.
Place the object you want to magnetize in the centre, with opposite poles of
the permanent magnets touching it on either side. Stroke both permanent
magnets away from the centre simultaneously. This can create a slightly
stronger temporary magnet compared to the stroke method.
 Electromagnet: You can create a temporary electromagnet by tightly coiling
insulated wire around a ferromagnetic core (like a nail). When you pass an
electric current through the wire, a magnetic field is generated around the
core, magnetizing it. Once the current stops, the magnetic field disappears,
and the core loses its magnetism.

Electromagnet and its uses

An electromagnet is a type of magnet that relies on electricity to function. It consists
of a coil of wire wrapped around a core, typically made of a ferromagnetic material
like iron. Here's the key difference from permanent magnets:
 Needs Electricity: When an electric current flows through the coil, it
generates a magnetic field around the core, magnetizing it. Once the current
stops, the magnetic field disappears, and the core loses its magnetism.
Advantages of Electromagnets:
 Controllable Magnetic Field: The strength of the magnetic field can be
easily adjusted by varying the amount of current flowing through the coil. This
allows for precise control over the magnetic force exerted.
 On/Off Functionality: Electromagnets can be switched on and off simply by
controlling the current. This makes them ideal for applications where
temporary magnetic attraction is needed.
Uses of Electromagnets:
Electromagnets find applications in a wide range of fields due to their controllable
and temporary magnetism. Here are some common examples:
 Lifting Heavy Objects: Industrial electromagnets are used in scrap yards to
lift and move heavy steel objects like cars.
 Medical Equipment: MRI machines use powerful electromagnets to generate
a strong magnetic field for medical imaging.
 Data Storage: Electromagnets are used in hard drives to read and write data
from the magnetic platter.
 Electric Motors and Generators: Both electric motors and generators rely
on electromagnets to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice
versa.
 Loudspeakers and Headphones: Electromagnets are used to create the
magnetic field that vibrates the speaker cone in loudspeakers and
headphones, producing sound.
Magnetic lines of force
Magnetic lines of force are imaginary lines that visually represent the direction and
strength of a magnetic field. They are not physical lines themselves, but a helpful
tool to understand how magnets interact.
Here are some key points about magnetic lines of force:
 Direction: They show the direction of the magnetic force at any point.
Imagine a tiny compass needle placed along a line of force, it would always
point in the direction of the north pole.
 Strength: The density of the lines indicates the strength of the magnetic field.
Areas with closely packed lines represent stronger magnetic fields, while
sparse lines indicate a weaker field. This is typically concentrated near the
poles of a magnet.
 Continuity: Magnetic lines are continuous loops. They don't start or end
abruptly but rather flow from a magnet's north pole and curve around to enter
its south pole.
 Repulsion: Lines of force from different magnets repel each other if their
poles are alike (north-north or south-south). Conversely, lines of force are
attracted if the poles are opposite (north-south).

Earth as a huge magnet

You're absolutely right! The Earth behaves like a giant magnet. Here's the gist:
 Giant Magnetic Field: Our planet has a magnetic field that stretches far out
into space. It acts much like a bar magnet with a north and south pole, even
though the actual poles aren't exactly where you might expect them
geographically.
 Core's Dynamo: This magnetic field is primarily generated by the movement
of molten iron in Earth's outer core. It's like a giant, churning ball of electrically
charged liquid metal acting like a dynamo.
 Why it Matters: Earth's magnetic field plays a crucial role in deflecting
charged particles from the sun (solar wind) that could otherwise damage the
atmosphere and harm living things. It's like a protective shield.
 Navigation: The magnetic field is also essential for navigation. Compasses
align with Earth's magnetic field, allowing us to determine north and south.
Here's a quick comparison to a regular magnet:
 Earth: Weaker magnetic field, constantly generated, poles don't perfectly
align geographically.
 Regular Magnet: Stronger field, fixed magnetism unless heated or exposed
to strong fields, poles at opposite ends.