SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Lesson 3 LEARNING OUTCOMES Upon the completion of this lesson, you

should be able to: define magnet state the properties of magnets draw variety of magnetic field in different type of magnet state what causes materials to be attracted to magnets state what happens when a magnet is cut in two pieces explain Earths magnetic field phenomena

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Introduction Discovery of magnet There is no certain history about rock that attracts certain metal; however, Aristotle credited Thales of Miletus with the first scientific discussion of the attractive power of the rock later called lodestone. The word magnet comes from the region of Greece where lodestone is found.

What are the properties of magnets? You probably introduced to magnet since children. You may have found that you can use a magnet to magnetize items like paper clips, nails, and screws. If you played with two magnets you found that they could either attract or repel each other. The general properties of magnets are:

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

What is a magnetic field? A gravitational field is the region around a massive object that causes the attractive force on another object with mass. A magnetic field is the region around a magnet that causes forces on magnetic materials or other magnets. The simple rule of magnetism is: opposite poles attract; like poles repel.

A magnetic compass always points to the Earths Magnetic North Pole. The end that does this is called the north-seeking pole or N-pole. The other end is the south-seeking pole or S-pole.

Not all metals are attracted to a magnet. The only magnetic metals are iron, cobalt and nickel The region around a magnet where its magnetic effect can be detected is called a magnetic field. The shape of a magnetic field can be worked out using iron filings or plotting compasses.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

Plotting compasses line up with these and help us to draw them. They always point from a north pole to a south pole. They never cross. The closer the field lines the stronger the field. The magnetic field lines in the gap of a horseshoe magnet.

The pattern of iron filings (black, curved regions) in the vicinity of a bar magnet

The magnetic field is a vector, and its direction can be determined by using a small compass needle.

What materials are attracted to magnets? Iron, nickel, and cobalt and most of their alloys are attracted to magnets. Other metals, like silver and gold, copper, tin, stainless steel, zinc, brass and bronze are not attracted. Non-metals are not attracted. Iron, nickel, and cobalt are called ferromagnetic. All materials respond to magnetic fields, but most respond so weakly
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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave that the forces are hardly felt. Those that are repelled are called diamagnetic; those attracted are paramagnetic.

What causes materials to be attracted to magnets? The ultimate cause of magnetism is electrons. When electrons are in a magnetic field the forces they experience cause them to move in tiny circles. The circling electrons create their own magnetic fields that give rise to diamagnetism. Electrons are tiny magnets themselves, with north and south poles. In most atoms these magnets are paired so their fields cancel. But, if there are an odd number of electrons, the unpaired electron produces a paramagnet. Oxygen, for example, is paramagnetic.

What happens when a magnet is cut in two pieces? When a magnet is cut the atoms within the domains remain aligned. In almost every case the cut would be between two domains, leaving aligned domains in the two halves. If you cut a domain you would create two smaller domains, each with a north pole and a south pole. So no matter where you cut the result is two magnets, each with its own north and South Pole. The more domains, the stronger the magnet.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

When two bar magnets are placed broadside to each other repulsion occurs at both poles if they are in the same orientation and attraction if they are in the opposite orientation.

When a bar magnet is placed close to a piece of soft iron it induces magnetism in the soft iron. The part of the soft iron closest to the N pole acts as if it was the S pole of a magnet, while the part closest to the S pole acts as if it was an N pole.
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SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

How is Earths magnetic field oriented? Because opposite poles attract, the north pole of a hanging magnet or compass must point toward a south pole. So, the south pole of Earths magnet must be near the north geographic pole. The poles are actually far below Earths surface, so Earths field is not parallel to its surface.

The earth behaves magnetically almost as if a bar magnet were located near its canter. The axis of this fictitious bar magnet does not coincide with the earths rotational axis

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave Summary Magnets have two poles - North and South. Some substances can be easily magnetised. Like poles repel each other and unlike poles attract each other. The Earth also has a magnetic field. A compass can be used to find the magnetic north pole and help us find our direction. End of chapter exercises 1. Describe what is meant by the term magnetic field. 2. Use words and pictures to explain why permanent magnets have a magnetic field around them. try to use domains in your explanation. 3. What is a magnet? 4. What happens to the poles of a magnet if it is cut into pieces? 5. What happens when like magnetic poles are brought close together? 6. What happens when unlike magnetic poles are brought close together? 7. Draw the shape of the magnetic field around a bar magnet. 8. Compare the magnetic field of the Earth to the magnetic field of a bar magnet using words and diagrams. 9. Give examples of phenomena that are affected by Earths magnetic field. 10. Draw a diagram showing the magnetic field around the Earth.

SPP 521 Electricity, Magnetism, and Wave

References

Abruscato, J. (2004). Teaching Children Science: A Discovery Approach, (6th Ed.). Ally & Bacon. Bloomfield, L.A. (2001). How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life, (2nd Ed.). John Wiley: New York. Griffith, W.T. (2004). The Physics of Everyday Phenomena: A Conceptual Introduction to Physics, (4th Ed.). McGraw Hill: New York. Hewitt, P.G (2010). Conceptual Physics, (11th Ed.). Pearson Education Inc.: Illinois. Surya, Y. (1996). Olimpiade Fisika. Jakarta: Primatika Cipta Ilmu. Sunley, C., & Smith, M. (2001). Instant Revision GCSE Science (5th Ed.). Hammersmith: HarperCollins. Yeoh, T. P. and Chong, C. S. (2010). Score A+ in SPM Physics. Bangi, Selangor: Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd. Zitzewitz, P. W. (2011). The Handy Physics Answer Book (2nd Ed.). Detroit: Visible Ink Press.