Magnetism

Chapter 9
9.1 Magnetic fields
• A magnet is something that will attract magnetic materials.
• It consists of two poles, N and S, which is North and South
respectively.
• The magnet has a magnetic field that will attract the paperclips when
it reaches the area.
• The magnetic field is strongest at the poles.
9.1 Magnetic fields
• A magnetic field can be detected by either observing whether a
magnetic objects moves because of the attraction
• OR use a compass.

• A compass contains a magnetised needle that is free to turn. The

needle will turn and point in the direction of a magnetic field.
9.1 Magnetic fields
• Magnetic field lines: how to draw?
• There are several rules to follow when drawing magnetic field lines
-You must join opposite poles
-Have arrow that point N to S
-Must not touch each other
-Must not cross each other
9.1 Magnetic fields
• Therefore, you are able to tell where the magnetic field is strongest
based on the magnetic fields lines. The magnetic field is strongest
where the lines are closest together.

• What happen if one magnet is stronger than the other?

• It will either be all the field lines get closer
• OR the field lines will extend further away from the magnet.
 9.1 Magnetic fields
• Magnetic fields interacting
-Two north poles repel
-Two South poles repel
-A north and a south attract
The reason behind this is due to the magnetic fields.
When a south and a north are pointing each other, there will be a force
of attraction between the magnets.
When like poles are together the magnetic fields will repel or try to
move away from each other.
9.2 The earth as a giant magnet
• A rock called lodestone contained magnetite was found 4000 years
ago. The small needle of the lodestone will always point to the north
when floating on water. And the other end will always point to the
south. This is the invention of compass. However, the compass does
not pointed directly to the earth north pole but the geographic north
pole. This point is now called magnetic north. Magnetic north moves
very slowly and is currently in the arctic ocean, north of Alaska.
• The invention of compass is very important as it helps people to
navigate in places such as oceans and deserts.
• In the diagram, the magnetic fields lines around
the earth point towards the Earth’s north pole. In
9.1 we studied that the magnetic field lines point
from north to south.
• That means the north pole of earth is actually a
magnetic south pole.
• And the south pole of earth is actually a magnetic
north pole.
• The geographic north and south poles are the parts
of the Earth through which the spin axis passes.
The axis is the imaginary line around which the
Earth spins.
• The earth’s magnetic field causes the natural
appearance of lights visible in the night sky close to
the north and south poles. These are caused by
particles coming from the sun arriving into the
stronger parts of the earth’s magnetic fields.
9.2 The earth as a giant magnet
• Origin of the Earth’s magnetic fields
-peoples thought the earth was made almost from magnetic rocks. However, it is
now known that the high temperatures deep inside the Earth would cause rocks to
lose any magnetism that they had.
-Scientists also know that the Earth’s magnetic fields has reversed in the past. The
last change is around 500 000 years ago, when The NORTH Really WAS NORTH.
-It is now known that the CORE is the origin of the magnetic field. But scientists have
still to discover the exact reason for this. The theory is that the heat generated in the
core which is mostly made from iron causes it to continually create a magnetic field.
The core also contains some nickel, which is another magnetic metal. The movement
in the liquid outer core would explain why the magnetic poles move slowly, and have
occasionally reversed. Magnetic north moves at a speed of about 60km per year.
9.3 Electromagnets
• Properties of magnetic materials.
-Magnetic materials include the metals iron , nickel and cobalt. Steel is
another common magnetic metal.
-They can be magnetised, that means be turned into a magnet.
-The magnets we are using are called permanent magnets because they
have a magnetic field that is always there.
-one way to magnetise a magnetic material is by using electricity. When
this method is used, the magnet is called an electromagnet.
9.3 Electromagnets
• An electromagnets is made by wrapping a
wire around a magnetic material. The wire
that is wrapped around is called a coil. The
material in the middle of the coil is called
the core.
• When current passes through the coil, the
magnetic materials becomes magnetised.
• When the current is switched off, the
magnetic material loses most of its
magnetism.
9.3 Electromagnets
• Poles of an electromagnet
-An electromagnet has two poles, similar to a bar magnet. T find out which pole is which in two
simple ways.

• Use a magnetic compass. A magnetic compass points along the magnetic field lines, so will
point towards the south pole.

OR

• Use a bar magnet with known poles, opposite poles will attract and like poles will repel.

WHEN making electromagnets. WE can reverse the poles of an electromagnet in one of two
ways.
-Wrap the coil around in the opposite direction
-Reverse the connection on the cell.
9.3 Electromagnets
• Applications of electromagnets
-Some types of scanner in hospitals use powerful electromagnets. AN
MRI scanner is used to produce images from inside the human body.
-In a toaster, when the handle is pushed down, an electromagnet holds
down a metal basket with bread in it, A timer turns the electromagnet
off and the metal basket pops up with toast.
-An electric bell uses an electromagnet to make the hammer move.
When the electromagnet is on, the hammer is pulled onto the bell. The
movement breaks the circuit and the hammer moves away from the
bell. The circuit becomes complete again and the hammer is pulled
back to the bell. This continues until the power supply is turned off.
9.4 Investigating electromagnets
• Strength of electromagnets
• The factors that affects the strength of an electromagnets are the
components that made up of an ELECTROMAGNET
-A coil of wire(more turns,more stronger)
-a magnetic core inside the coil and(Materials of the core. Iron and
some types of steel make the strongest electromagnets)
-an electric current flowing in the coil(The greater the current, the
stronger the electromagnet)
9.4 Investigating electromagnets