Magnetic Forces

What is magnetism?
• Magnetism is the force of attraction
between magnets and magnetic objects.
 Characteristics of magnets
• Every magnet has two poles (North and
South)
• Every magnet has a magnetic field around
it.
– The magnetic field is lines of force running
from the north-seeking pole to the south-
seeking pole of the magnet
 What do you know of that has
a North and South Pole?
• If you answered The Earth you were right!
• The Earth is one giant magnet. It has two magnetic
poles and is surrounded by a magnetic field.
• This magnetic field is what causes the needle of a
compass to point in different directions and causes
the poles of a magnet to point either north or
south.
 Do opposites attract?
• Yes!
• The north and south seeking poles of two
magnets attract each other- magnetic force
pulls them together.
• But if you try to bring two of the same
poles (two norths or two souths) together
they will repel each other.
 Magnets and electricity
• Magnets are used to generate, or produce,
electricity.
• Spinning a coil of wire inside a magnetic
field produces an electric force between the
ends of the coil.
• In a similar way, an electric current
produces a magnetic field around it.
 Electromagnet
• A temporary magnet made by passing electric
current through a wire coiled around an iron bar.
• A junkyard is one place to see an electromagnet in
action. A crane holding a huge electromagnet can
be used to pick up scrap metal when current flows
through it. When the crane operator wants to drop
the scrap, he or she will simply shut off the current
to the electromagnet.
 Ten Facts about Magnets

• 1. North poles point north, south poles point

south.
• 2. Like poles repel, unlike poles attract.
• 3. Magnetic forces attract only magnetic
materials.
• 4. Magnetic forces act at a distance.
• 5. While magnetized, temporary magnets
act like permanent magnets.
• 6. A coil of wire with an electric current flowing
through it becomes a magnet.
• 7. Putting iron inside a current-carrying coil
increases the strength of the electromagnet.
• 8. A changing magnetic field induces an electric
current in a conductor.
• 9. A charged particle experiences no magnetic
force when moving parallel to a magnetic field, but
when it is moving perpendicular to the field it
experiences a force perpendicular to both the field
and the direction of motion.
• 10. A current-carrying wire in a
perpendicular magnetic field experiences a
force in a direction perpendicular to both
the wire and the field