MAGNETS AND CURRENTS

9.01 Magnets
Magnetic poles the filings a r e attracted.

is dipped into iron

filings,
The magnetic
toi
c.ls
lt a small bar magnet
o n the
opposite page. force
shown in the photograph of the magnet.
ends, called the poles
as

from two points,

s e e m s to c o m e
If a bar magnet is s u s n .
forces o n the poles
of a magnet.
n o r t h - s o u t h . This
spended
efffect
The Earth exerts
lies roughly is
it swings round until it
North a s o n the left, These a r e called:
of a magnet.
Pole
used to n a m e the
two poles
pole for short)
(orN
t h e north-seeking pole
S pole for short).
the south-seeking pole (or
there is force
bar magnets together,
a rce
two similar
If youbring the ends of
below:
between the poles a s shown

attract.
Like poles repel; unlike poles between them.
the force
The closer the poles, the greater

magnetic poles
Properties of magnets
A magnet
Has a magnetic field around it
(see the next spread).
Has two opposite poles (N and
N N N
attraction
S) which exert forces on other repulsion
magnets. Like poles repel;
unlike poles attract. Induced magnetism
Materials such as iron and steel are attracted to magnets because they
Will attract magnetic materials
by inducing magnetism in themselves become magnetized when there is a magnet nearby. The magnet
them. In some materials induces magnetism in them, as shown below. In each case, the induced
(e.g steel) the magnetism is pole nearest the magnet is the opposite of the pole at the end of the magnet.
permanent. In others The attraction between unlike poles holds each piece of metal to the magnet.
(e.g. iron) it is temporary.
The steel and the iron behave differently when pulled right away from the
Will exert little or no force on
a non-magnetic material.
magnet. The steel keeps some of its induced magnetism and becomes a
permanent magnet. However, the iron loses virtually all of its induced
magnetism. It was only a temporary magnet.

magnet
N N
N

poles induced in iron loses steel permanently

iron and steel magnetism magnetized

iron steel

2
 MAGNETS AND CURRENTS
aking a magne
bec omes
h ui
piece
1
ot
tt s magnetism
steel

is
cm
permanently magnetized when
usually weak. It can be
stroking
it with one
ane en
magnet, as on themagnetized placed
endnofe tai z i n h e , more
near
strongly
magnet, a

efective
magnetizing it is to place it in a However, the mostby
m e t h o d

(one-
ofn
right. wide sweep
current long coil of wire and away from
vhich magnetize the steel.through the coil. The
direct

large, steel
a passcurrent has a
magnetic
otic and non-magnetic
Magneti

naterial is one materials

A magnetic.
which
which can be induced poles
All
All strongly
stro
magnetic materials magnetized and is
to
magnets.

steel contain iron, nickel, attracted A Magnetizing a piece of steel by

Forexample, s t is mainly iron.
Strongly or cobalt. stroking it with a magnet.
They are described as hardmagnetic
f e r r o m a g n e t i c s
metals like this are called
keep their magnetism when magnetized: soft depending on how well
or

they
m a g n e t materials such as steel, and
Hard
icult to
gnadur, are diffic alloys called Alcomax and
magnetize
but do not
readily lose their Ferrous and non-ferrous
They are used for permanent magnets. magnetism. Iron and alloys (mixtures)
otic
Soft magne materials such as iron and Mumetal are containing iron are called
tize. but their magnetism only temporary. is relatively easy to ferrous metals (ferrum is Latin

ofelectromagnets and transformers because their They

are used in the for iron). Aluminium, copper, and
cores

cuyitched' on or off or reversed easily. magnetic effect can be the other non-magnetic metals
are non-ferrous
n.magnetic materials include metals such as brass,
aluminium, as well as non-metals.
copper, zinc, tin, and

Where magnetism comes from*

In an atom, tiny electrical particles called electrons move around a central
nucleus. Each electron has a magnetic effect as it spins and orbits the nucleus.
In many types of atom, the magnetic effects of the electrons cancel, but in
some they do not, so each atom acts as a tiny magnet. In an unmagnetized
material, the atomic magnets point in random directions. But as the
material becomes magnetized, more and more of its atomic magnets line up
with each other.
Together, billions of tiny atomic magnets act as one big magnet.
r a magnet is hammered, its atomic magnets are thrown out of line: it
becomes demagnetized. Heating it to a high temperature has the sameetfect A Magnetic materials are attracted
to magnets and can be made into
magnets.

1What is meant by the Npole of a magnet? bar 1

hard or soft.
Magnetic materials are sometimes described as

a What is the difference between the two types?

b
Give one example of each type. c bar 2
Name three ferromagnetic metals.
Name three non-magnetic metals different ends are
shows three metal bars. When
dagram on the right A and C attract,
but A and D bar 3
it is found that A and B attract,
n t together, is a permanent
magnet or not.
p e l . Decide whether each of the bars

electromagnets 9.04; transformers 9.10-9.11

magnetism 9.02,
Related topic pICS: atoms and electrons 8.o1; the
Earth's
 AGNETS AND CUR RENTS

Magnetic fields
9.02 have been
kled
on
sprinkled o n paper c
paper
over a
bar
below,
filings
iron into position
pulled h
In the photograph magnets,
es
b e c o m e tiny mar
have there isa a magnetic field
magnet. The filings Scientifically
speaking,
magnet. magnetic materials in it
trom the poles of the exerts
forces on

the magnet,
and this
around

Magnetic field patterns small c o m p a s s . The 'needle!' :

using a
dots on be investigated
plotting Magnetic fields c a n o n its spindle.
when
near magnet the a
paper Compass is free to turn
a tiny magnet
which the poles of the magn
gnet.
its poles and
forces between
needle is turned by effect is z e r o .
to rest so that the turning
The needle comes
be used to
small compass
can plot tho
how a
The diagram on the left shows n e a r o n e end of the
with the compass
field line field around bar magnet. Starting
a
two dots. Then the compass is
the needle position is marked using
magnet, dot... and so on. When
with the previous the
moved s o that the needle lines up
magnetic field line. More lines can be
rawn dra
dots are joined up, the result is a

in different positions.
by starting with the compass

In the
diagram above, a selection of field lines has been used
Magnet essentials to show the
A magnet has
magnetic field around a bar magnet:
a north-seeking The field lines run from the N
pole to the S pole of
direction, shown by an arrowhead, is defined as the magnet.
(N) pole at one end and a south- The field
seeking (S) pole at the other the direction in which
When two magnets are brought the force on a N pole would act. It
is the direction in which
needle the N end of a
together: compass would point.
The magnetic field is
like poles repel, unlike poles strongest where the field lines are closest
attract. If two magnets are together.
placed near each other, their
produce a single field. Two examples are shown atmagnetic fields combine to
the neutral point, the field the top of the next page.
from one
magnet
other, so the magnetic force on anything at thisexactly cancels the field from
point is zero.
 MAGNETS AND CURRENT
. . **
unlike
Between magnets with
poles facing, the combined field is
almost uniform (even) in strength.
between like poles, there is
However,
a neutral point where the combined
neutral- field strength is zero.
point

The
arth's magnetic field*
rth has a magnetic field. No one is sure
T h eE a r t h
Magnetic screening
of its cause, Some electronic equipment is
come from electric currents although it is
thought

like that aro nd generated in the Earth's easily upset by magnetic fields

js
rather
a
large, but very weak, bar core. The field from nearby generators, motors,
With no othe ather magnets near it, a compass needle magnet. transformers, or the Earth. The
magnetic fielfeld. The N end of the
lines up with the Earth's equipment can be screened
needle points north.
But N (shielded) by enclosing it in a
t o an S pole. So it tollows that
the Earth's
an
pole is always
layer of a soft magnetic material,
atuirth! It lies under a
point
Canada called in magnetic S pole must be
such as iron or nickel. This
f i c north is over 1200 km
magnetic north. redirects the field so that it does
Magn away from the Earth's
his is
the Earth's magnetic axis is
because th geographic North Pole.
not quite in line
not pass through the equipment.

axis of rotation
with its north-
south

North
Pole magnetic north
NORTH
A POLE

magnetic sQuth- South

Role

A A compass is of no use in polar regions because the Earth's

AThe Earth behaves as if it has a large but very weak bar magnet
magnetic field lines are vertical.
inside it.

1 In the diagrams on the right, the same compass is being

north
used in both cases.
of the
a Copy diagram A. Label the N and S ends
Compass needle.
of the magnet to
Copy diagram B. Mark in the poles magnet
Then draw an
show which is N and which is S.
show its direction.
arrowhead on the field line to
X or Y, would you
I n diagram B, at which position,
to be the stronger?
expect the magnetic field

effect 9.01
Earth's magnetic
ded topics: magnetic poles and the