Magnetism
By: Elizabeth Frisbey
What is Magnetism?
Magnetism are invisible lines around a magnet that attract iron or objects containing iron. They are normally letters on your fridge, but did you know they were first a rock called magnetite? They were first discovered by the ancient Greeks who also discovered that magnetite can point north when swinging freely.
Properties of magnets:
1. They attract or repel other magnets
2. Attracts objects made of iron or containing iron
3. Points north when swinging freely
2. Attracts objects made of iron or containing iron
3. Points north when swinging freely
Magnetite
It points north when swinging freely and was discovered by the ancient Greeks.
Want your own Magnets?
You can make your own magnets by taking something made of iron and rubbing it in one direction on a magnet. this way, you will have a temporary magnet. A temporary magnet loses it's magnetism easily, while a permenant magnet keeps it's magnetism for a long time.
Magnetic feild lines
magnetic field lines run around a magnet and are strongest at the poles. They work just like the earth, and we are tiny little magnets sticking to it!
single magnetic feild
Attracting
When two unlike poles are pushed together, they attract.
Repelling
When two like poles are pushed together, they repel!
The real picture... Attracting!
The real picture... Repelling!
The real picture... a single magnetic feild
Atoms inside a magnet
The atoms inside magnetized iron are facing the same direction, while unmagnetized iron have atoms that are facing random directions. This is called magnetic domains. The atoms inside other objects are facing random directions, which is why plastic and wood are not magnetic materials.