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Properties of magnets
Magnetic poles
• Magnetic poles refer to the ends of a magnet where the power
of attraction or repulsion is greatest.
• The force of attraction of a magnet is greatest at its poles. The
force reduces away from poles. This is why when a bar magnet
is dipped in iron fillings, the fillings cling mainly around the
ends of the magnet.

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 Properties of magnets
Directional property of a magnet
• If a bar magnet is suspended by a thread and is free to rotate it
rotates and finally rests in the in the North-south direction.
This is called the directional property of a magnet

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Types of magnets

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 Properties of magnets
Effect on Magnetic and non- magnetic materials
• Magnetic materials are those that can be attracted by magnets
e.g. Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, Iron alloy like steel, Nickel alloy etc.
• Non-magnetic materials are those that cannot be attracted by a
magnet e.g. Copper, Brass, Aluminium, Glass, wood, Graphite
• Ferromagnetic materials are magnetic materials that are
strongly attracted by magnet e.g. soft iron

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 Properties of magnets
Attraction and repulsion.
The Basic Law of Magnetism
• It states that like poles of magnets repel and unlike poles attract.

Repulsion is the only sure test for polarity of magnet. This is because
repulsion can only occur between like poles of magnets.
Attraction is not sure test because it can occur between unlike poles of
magnets or between a magnet and unmagnified magnetic material.

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 Properties of magnets
Breaking of a magnet.
When a bar magnet is broken into two or more pieces, the pieces retain
their magnetism, each having a north pole and a south pole at its ends,
see figure 1.5.

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 Magnetic field
Magnetic field
• The space around a magnet where the magnetic influence
(magnetic force of attraction and repulsion) is felt
• The field is stronger near the poles of the magnet and is
weaker farther away from the poles
• Magnetic field pattern.

The iron fillings form patterns which seem to originate from one pole and end
the other, see figure 1.6 (a) and (b).
Conclusion
The magnetic field around a given magnet or arrangement of magnets is a
definite pattern.
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Magnetic field lines
• These are lines of force which represent a
magnetic field. These lines form a magnetic
field patterns.
Direction of magnetic field
• The direction of magnetic field at a point is
the direction to which a free north pole would
move if placed at that point in the field.

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 Properties Of Magnetic Field Lines
1. Magnetic field lines start from the North Pole and end at the South
Pole.

2.They repel each other sideways and form closed paths as shown
above.

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 Properties of magnetic field lines
3.They do not intersect each other.

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 Properties of magnetic field lines
4.They are closer together where the field is stronger.
• The strength of the
magnetic field is greater
where the lines are closer
together and weaker where
they are further apart.
• Field is strongest in regions
of dense field lines.
• Field is weakest in regions
of sparse field lines.

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 Magnetic field patterns
Bar Magnet

Horse-shoe
Like poles

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 Magnetic field patterns between like poles
When like poles are placed adjacent to each other magnetic field
from the poles repel each other resulting in a neutral point X as
shown in figure 1.13.

There is no magnetic field at point X, which is called a neutral

point. A neutral point can thus be defined as that point where the
effect of two magnetic fields totally cancel each other.
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 Magnetic field patterns
• Magnetic field lines get concentrated along the soft iron rod

• The soft iron ring concentrates the magnetic field lines.

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 Magnetic field patterns
Soft Iron Ring

The soft iron ring concentrates the magnetic field lines thus
preventing them from passing through region P. This is called
magnetic shielding and region P is therefore said to be shielded by
the ring from magnetic fields to add magnetic permiability.
Practical application of magnetic shielding
•The soft iron rings are used in magnetic
shielding where some electrical measuring
instruments and watches are shielded and
protected from magnetic fields.
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The Domain Theory of Magnetism
• Magnets consist of small magnetic groups referred to as
magnetic domains. Domains comprise smaller atomic magnets
(molecular magnets) called dipoles. The dipoles in a particular
domain point towards a common direction.

In the un-magnetised condition, the dipoles in neighboring domains

arrange themselves in closed loops, see figure 1.19
The domains however align in different direction giving no resultant
field outside the material.
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The Domain Theory of Magnetism
When a magnetising field is applied to the material, there is adjustment of domain
boundaries causing some of the domains to increase in size and others to shrink.
In the process, the domain, align themselves with their magnetic axis pointing in
the same direction. The net external field increases and the material is said to be
magnetised.
When all dipoles align themselves in one direction, the material is said to be
magnetically saturated. No further magnetisation can take place beyond this point.
When the magnetising field is removed, domains of hard magnetic (materials
which are hard to magnetise) maintain their new orientation, while those of soft
magnetic materials (materials which are easy to magnetise) have their domains
reverting to their original arrangement.

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 Magnetization
• Magnetization is the process of making a magnet from
magnetic material. During this process, dipoles get aligned. In
a partially magnetized material most but not all domains are
aligned in one direction.
• When a material is fully magnetized all the domains are
aligned in one direction. At this state the material is said to be
magnetically saturated.
• There are four common methods of magnetization; these are:
• Induction
• Stroking
• Hammering in north-south direction
• Electrical method using direct current.
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 Magnetization
1. Induction
• In this method, a magnet induces magnetism in a magnetic material in
contact with it. The end of the material in contact with the magnet attains a
polarity opposite to the pole of the magnet.

The ends of the pins attracted to the magnet acquire a polarity that is opposite
to that pole of the magnet. The lower end of the pin acquires a polarity similar
to the pole used, see figure 1.22 (c).
The pins become magnetised and the dipoles in them get aligned along the
magnetic axis of the magnetising magnet.
The pins in the experiment get magnetised by induction method.
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 Magnetization
2. Hammering (mechanical method)
• This method makes the use of the earth’s magnetic field. A
steel bar to be magnetized is placed in the north-south position
and the upper end is hammered. The end pointing northward
becomes a north pole and the one pointing southward the South
Pole.

θ is referred to as the angle of dip. It varies according to position on the

earth. The process results into the formation of a weak magnet.
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 Magnetization
3. Single stroke method
• In this method the magnetic material is stroked with one pole of the
magnet from one end to another, lifting it away as shown. The stroking is
repeated several times while keeping the inclination of the magnet the
same. Single stroking method Double stroking method

The end of the magnetic material bar where the magnet finishes stroking
acquires an opposite polarity to that of the stroking magnet.
Single stroke method
The disadvantage of this method is that it produces magnets in which
one pole is nearer the end of the magnetised material tan the other.
This can be avoided by use of the double stroke method.
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 Magnetization
4. Electrical method
• The magnetic material to be magnetized is placed inside the solenoid connected in
series with the battery. The switch is closed and current is passed through the
solenoid for some time.

• The polarities of the magnet depend on the direction of the electric current.
• The poles of the magnet can be identified using the right hand grip rule for current
carrying coil which states that: If a coil carrying a current is grasped in the right hand
such that the fingers point in the direction of current in the coil, then the thumb points
in the direction of North Pole.
Allowing the current to flow for a long time does not increase the extend of
magnetic saturation. It only causes overheating of the solenoid, which
adversely affects magnetism.
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 Methods of Demagnetization
• This is the process by which a magnet losses magnetism. In this
process domains reverse their direction and get misaligned
(disoriented)
1. A magnet can undergo self-demagnetization if poorly stored.
2. Hammering : Hammering a magnet placed in the east- west direction
or dropping it evidently on the hard surface floor several times
makes it lose most of the magnetism.
3. Heating
Heating a magnet until red hot and cooling it suddenly when resting
in the east- west direction makes it lose its magnetism.
The magnetism is lost because hammering or heating disorients
magnetic dipoles.
4. Electrical method :Placing a magnet in a solenoid placed in east west
direction and passing an alternating current demagnetizes it. This is
because alternating current reverses many times per second, disorienting the
magnetic dipoles.
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 Hard and soft magnetic material
a). Soft magnetic material
• These are those magnetic materials magnetized easily but do
not retain their magnetism for long. Examples: iron, alloy of
iron and nickel.
Applications of soft magnetic materials
• Making electromagnets
• Making transformer cores
• Used for magnetic shielding
b). Hard magnetic materials
• These are magnetic materials that are difficult to magnetize but
once magnetized they retain their magnetism for a long time.
Example – steel.
Application of hard magnetic materials:
• Used in making permanent magnets
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 Storing magnets
• Bar magnets are stored in pairs with soft iron keepers placed
across their ends to prevent self-demagnetization. Unlike poles
of the magnets are placed close to each other.

wood

• The magnets magnetize soft iron keepers through induction.

The aligned dipoles form a closed loop or chain round the magnets
and the keepers, with no free poles.x

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 Uses of magnets
Hospitals are employing the use of magnets from the simple extraction
of metallic objects from patients body (e.g., eye) to Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI). Figure 1.35 shows an example of M.R.I machine
which uses powerful magnet whose fields enable doctors to take
pictures of internal parts of human body. This produces photographs
with more details than when X-rays are used.

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• Used in industries in lifting iron
scrap metals.

• Navigation for showing direction

as in compass needles.

• Loudspeakers and microphone.

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1. State two properties of magnets.
2. Distinguish between soft and hard magnetic materials.
3. Why is it advisable to store magnetized magnetic tapes in an iron box?
4. Give a reason why attraction in magnetism is not regarded as a reliable
method of testing for polarity.
5. Four bars of metal A, B, C and D are tested for magnetism. B attracts both
A and C but not D. D does not attract A, B or C. A and C sometime attract
one another and sometimes repel one another. What conclusion can you draw
about?
(a) Bar A
(b) Bar B
(c) Bar D
6. Two similar razor blades were placed on a wooden block and the other on
an iron block as in the figure. It was observed that the razor blade on the
wooden block is attracted by the magnet while that on the iron block was not.
Explain.

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7. Figure below shows the effect on the magnetic field when two materials A
and B are placed in the magnetic field. State the difference between materials
A and B.

8. The figure below shows how magnets are stored in pairs with keepers at the
end. Explain how this method of storing helps in retaining magnetism longer

9. Explain how hammering demagnetizes a magnet.

10. Increase in temperature weakens or destroys magnetism of a magnet.
Explain.
11. Explain in terms of domain theory what happens when a bar magnet is
placed in a solenoid in which an alternating current flows.
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12. Name two methods of demagnetizing a magnet
13. Explain using the domain theory of magnetism how an iron bar can be
magnetized to saturation level by placing it in a magnetic field whose strength
can be varied.
14. The figure below shows one method of making a magnet.

• Name the polarity formed at:

(i) A………………………. (ii) B…………………………
15. In an attempt to make a magnet, a student used the double stroke method
as shown below. State the polarity at end X and Y.

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16. An electromagnet is made by winding insulated copper wire on an iron
core. State three changes that could be made to increase the strength of the
electromagnet.
17. State one advantage of an electromagnet as compared to a permanent
magnet State TWO factors that affect the strength of an electromagnet.
18. One way of demagnetizing bar is to place it in a solenoid in which an
alternating current (ac) flows. How is the demagnetization achieved?
19. An electromagnet is made by winding insulated copper wire on an iron
core. State three changes that could be made to increase the strength of the
electromagnet.
20. An iron rod XY is placed inside a coil of wire. What type of magnetic pole
is induced at the end X and Y when the current flows through the coil?

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21. The diagram below shows a permanent magnet suspended by a spring.
State with reason the behaviour of the magnet when the switch s is closed.

22. Figure below shows an electromagnet in an electric circuit

a) State what happens to the polythene ball when the switch S is closed.
b) Why is soft iron is preferred for material A than steel?
c) State two ways in which the electromagnet could be made stronger.
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