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How do magnets work?
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How do magnets work?
The short answer
A magnet is an object wherein most or all of its electrons move in the same direction, creating a magnetic field with north and south ends.
The long answer
Let's zoom in all the way to the atomic level. Atoms are the smallest unit of matter, and electrons spin around the nucleus of the atom. The spinning of electrons forms a tiny magnetic field. In most materials, the atoms have electrons that spin in different directions from each other, so their collective magnetic force is canceled out.
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But when the electrons of atoms spin in the same direction, a powerful magnetic force is created. Magnetic materials have a flow of magnetic force going out of the north end and entering in south end. This creates what is known as a magnetic field.
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When two objects with strong magnetic fields get close to one other, the response will either be attraction or repulsion. If you place a north and a south end of different magnetic objects near each other, they will attract. But north-to-north and south-to-south will cause repulsion.
Not all materials have a strong magnetic field, of course. So when you place a magnetically strong object (e.g. iron) beside a magnetically weaker object (e.g. cloth), there will be no effect.
Now, go forth and admire your refrigerator magnets for their amazing power that they possess!
Sources
Dragonfly Education. (2014). How do Magnets Work? | Engineering Physics. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRqQQGO7Xe8&ab_channel=MagicMarks.
Ducksters. (2022). Kids science: Magnetism. Ducksters. Retrieved from https://www.ducksters.com/science/magnetism.php
Magnetism. National Geographic Society. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/magnetism
U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - independent statistics and analysis. Magnets and electricity - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2021, December 13). Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/magnets-and-electricity.php
Wilson, T. V., &; Pollette, C. (2022, September 20). How Magnets Work. HowStuffWorks Science. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://science.howstuffworks.com/magnet.htm
Book of the Week
βWhy We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhDβ
This book will put you to sleep (in a good way).
This is a fascinating book that helps you understand the purpose of sleep and how it helps your body learn and store memories, process emotions, bolster your immune system, and regulate your metabolism and appetite. The book goes through the latest research around how your sleep is impacted by things like your age, your consumption of caffeine and alcohol, and your sleep schedule (or lack thereof). You will come away with a newfound appreciation for how critical it is to get a good night of sleep and hopefully fall asleep while you read it before bed.
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Learn something new every Friday. Join 2,000+ nerds and satisfy your curiosity one question at a time with topics including science, technology, history, and more.
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