ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

Law of Magnetism

Magnets Have Poles

When like (same) poles of a magnet are near each other,
they repel. When there are unlike poles near each other,
there is an attraction. Hence, law of magnetism states
that
• Like poles repel each other.
• Unlike poles attract each other.
Magnetic field

• There is a pattern of curves in a small space

around the magnet.
• This is because the iron filings realign in the
magnetic field of the magnet.
• Thus, the pattern represents the path of the
magnetic field
• The lines traced around the magnet are called
the magnetic lines of force.
• These imaginary lines thus indicate the region in
which the force of the magnet can be detected.
This region is called the magnetic field.
 Properties of Magnetic Lines of Force

• The magnetic lines of force leave the north enter the

south pole.
• Lines of force repel each other. Lines of force pole
and never intersect.

Temporary and Permanent Magnets

• A lodestone is a natural magnet and is made up of
minerals called magnetite.
• Thus, in nature the magnets are found in the form of
stones or rocks. Hence, they do not have regular shapes
and size.
• However, magnets having specific shapes can be
prepared using materials like iron, cobalt, nickel and their
mixture with other elements.
• When such materials are given an external magnetic field,
they become magnets.
 Permanent Magnets
• The magnets that are used in door catchers, in fridge
doors and in loudspeakers are permanent magnets.
• These magnets are permanent in the sense they retain
their magnetism even after removing the surrounding
magnetic field.

Temporary Magnets

• When a magnet touches a paper clip, the paper clip becomes

a temporary magnet as long as it is touching the real magnet
and each additional paperclip also becomes a temporary
magnet with a weaker magnetic force than the one before it.
• They tend to attract other magnetic materials. Unlike
permanent magnets, (temporary magnets remain
magnetised only for a short period of time and gets
demagnetised when the surrounding magnetic field is
removed.)
 Making Magnets
• An electromagnet is a magnet in which the magnetic field is
created by an electric current.
• Large cranes lift heavy substances like cables and rods in
construction sites with the help of electromagnets.
• Commonly, there is an iron core wrapped with conducting
wires.
• When an operator switches on a power supply, the current
passes through the wires. Meanwhile, the iron core becomes
a magnet and lifts heavy magnetic material .
• However, as soon as the current stops, the core loses its
magnetic property.

Magnetising
• Materials are magnetised in several ways (Two common
ways of magnetising are)the stroking method and the
electrical method.
• A piece of material (for example, an iron bar) may be
stroked with a permanent magnet. By stroking it
consistently from one end to the other (without reversing
the direction), the material can be magnetised
• Electricity can also be used to turn a metal into a magnet.
In this method, an electric current is used for magnetising a
material. The magnet thus produced is called an
electromagnet.
Demagnetisation
• Permanent magnets can be demagnetised in the
following ways
• By heating it to extreme temperatures
• By stroking one magnet with another in a random
fashion The magnet being stroked will become
demagnetised.
• By hammering and dropping the magnet.
• By placing the magnet in a coil and passing an
alternating current through the coil.