Magnetism

Magnetism

Magnetism is a force which attracts oppositely magnetized objects to each other, and repels similarly magnetized objects from each other. Every electron is a tiny magnet, but in most materials, the spins of the electrons cancel each other out. In magnetic materials, the electrons can spin in the same direction and create a magnetic field.¹

Fast Facts

Lodestone naturally magnetic¹
Magnetic fields always paired, with equal and opposite "north" and "south" poles²
Opposite poles attract while like poles repel
Earth's magnetic field used for navigation with compasses
Ferromagnetism causes most magnetic behavior²
Ferromagnetic materials include iron, nickel and cobalt

History of Magnetism

800 BC: Lodestone's attractive power known in China and Europe
1000s: Small pieces of iron used in compasses in China
1820: Danish scientist Hans-Christian Oersted discovers connection between electricity and magnetism
1898: First magnetic recording device developed by Danish engineer Valdemar Poulsen
1900s: Permanent magnets developed

Categories

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The Mahalo Top 7

Wikipedia: Magnetism
Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Resource Center: Magnetism
NASA: Magnetism: The Key to Understanding the Sun
University of Birmingham: History of Magnetism
Trinity College Dublin: A Guide to Magnetism Throughout the Ages
University of Oklahoma: Earth's Magnetic Field
Video: Electricity & Magnetism Hand Rules (Time: 3:51)

Magnetism News

Science Daily: Magnetism News
National Science Foundation: "A Link Between Rainfall and Magnetism" (2006)
BBC News: Earth Loses its Magnetism | "Ghostly Magnetism Explained" (2003)
Science News Online: "Intergalactic Magnetism Runs Deep and Wide" (2000)

Magnetism History and Background

World Scientific: "History of Magnetism" (989 KB)
University of Winnepeg: Magnetism Lessons
ScienceMaster: Magnetism
Carnegie Institutions: Ocean Magnetic Survey Expeditions
Physics LAB: Introduction to Magnetism

Magnetism Educational Resources

Exploratorium: Snacks about Magnetism
University of California: Exploring Magnetism Lesson Series
NASA: An Introduction to Geomagnetism
MIT OpenCourseWare: 8.02T Electricity and Magnetism

Magnetism Photos and Videos

University of the Pacific: Magnetic Forces and Fields Images and Diagrams
Google Image Search: Magnetism
YouTube & Google Video: Magnetism
Yahoo! Image Search: Magnetism
Atom Films: Magnetism (Time: 2:35)

Magnetism Blogs and Forums

Magnetism: The Magnet and Magnetism Weblog
Holograms: X-Ray Holograms Expose Secret Magnetism
Popsci.com: Ignorance = Maglev = Bliss
Alexis's Hot Tech Blog: How Do Speakers Work?

Magnetism Organizations and Societies

American Physical Society: Topical Group on Magnetism and its Applications
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.: IEEE Magnetics Society
Annual Magnetism and Magnetic Materials Conference

Magnetism Fun Stuff

Magnet Man: Cool Experiments with Magnets
Science Toys: Magnetism
ThinkGeek: Singing Monkey Balls

Magnetism Books and Merchandise

Amazon.com: Magnetism Books and Merchandise
Barnes & Noble: Magnetism Books
Discover This: Magnetism Educational Science Kits and Toys

Related Pages on Mahalo

Gravity | Electricity | Atoms | Physics | Michael Faraday | Electromagnets | Electromagnetism | Earth | Aurora Borealis

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