Magnetism

Magnetic Fields
In the space around a magnet there is a magnetic field.

Magnetic field lines are a useful way of helping us to picture that field: Its strength
and its direction.

The magnetic field around a bar magnet

Magnetic field lines obey a couple of rules:

1) They always go from north to south (indicated by an arrow midway along the line).
2) They never touch or cross other field lines.
3) Closeness of lines represents stronger field.

When two magnets are held close together, there will be a force between the
magnets:
 Opposite poles attract; like poles repel

Magnetic materials (which are not magnets) will always be attracted to the magnet,
regardless of which pole is held close to it.

A magnet can only repel another magnet (This can be a useful test for a magnet).

Magnetic Forces

Magnetic forces are caused by the interaction of magnetic fields.

Plotting a Magnetic Field

In your IGCSE examination you might be asked to describe a method of plotting the
magnetic field around a bar magnet

There are two principle ways of doing this:

Using Iron Filings

Place a piece of paper on top of the magnet

Gently sprinkle iron filings on top of the paper

Now carefully tap the paper to allow the iron filings to settle on the field lines
 Iron filings can be used to plot a magnetic field

Place the magnet on top of a piece of paper.

Draw a dot at one end of the magnet (near its corner).

Place a plotting compass next to the dot, so that one end of the needle of the
compass points towards the dot.

Use a pencil to draw a new dot at the other side of the compass needle.

Now move the compass so that it points towards the new dot, and repeat the
above process.

Keep repeating until you have a chain of dots going from one end of the
magnet to the other. Then remove the compass, and link the dots using a
smooth curve – the magnetic field line.

The direction of the field line is the same as the direction of the plotting
compass.

You can now repeat the whole process several times to create several other
magnetic field lines.
 Compasses can be used to plot the magnetic field around a bar magnet

What are Magnetic Materials?

A magnetic material is a material that experiences a force when placed in a

magnetic field.

Although all magnetic materials are metallic, not all metals are magnetic
Common magnetic materials include:
Iron
Steel (an alloy of iron)
Nickel
Cobalt
Note: Copper and Aluminium are non-magnetic
Magnetic materials, such as iron, steel, nickel (the coin) and cobalt, are attracted to magnets

Hard and Soft Materials

Magnetically soft materials (e.g. Iron):

1) Are easy to magnetise
2) Easily lose their magnetism

Magnetically hard materials (e.g. Steel):

1) Are hard to magnetise
2) Do not easily lose their magnetism

Permanent magnets are made out of magnetically hard materials, as we don’t want them
to lose their magnetism.

Electromagnets are made out of magnetically soft materials, as we want them to be able
to easily gain and lose their magnetism.
Induced Magnetism
When a magnetic material is placed in a magnetic field, the material can temporarily
become magnetised:
1) One end of the material will become a north pole.
2) The other end will become a south pole.

When a magnet is held close to a magnetic material, the material temporarily becomes magnetised

This process is known as magnetic induction and results in a force being exerted on
the material.

When the material is removed from the magnetic field, it will start to lose its magnetism
(depending on whether it is magnetically hard or soft).

Creating and Destroying Magnets

Magnets are usually made from hard magnet materials

There are several ways in which a magnet can be created:

 Stroking with a magnet:

A magnetic material can be magnetised by stroking it with one end of another magnet

Using a direct current (d.c.) in a coil:

Placing a magnetic material in a coil and then passing a direct current through the coil will also magnetise it

When a magnetic material is placed in a solenoid connected to a P.C supply.

The magnetic supply produced, due to current align the domains inside the coil
turning it into a magnet.
 Hitting with a hammer:

If the material is placed in a magnetic field and then hit with a hammer, the material
will also become magnetised

Hitting material placed into a magnetic field with a hammer can lead to the material becoming magnetised

Methods of Demagnetisation

Magnets can be demagnetised by using one of the following methods:

1) Hit the material with a hammer (when it is not in a magnetic field).
2) Heat the material (until it begins to glow) and then slowly let it cool.
3) Place the material in a coil containing alternating current (a.c.) and then
slowly withdraw the material (with the a.c. power source still attached to the coil).

Using Alternating Current (a.c) in a solenoid:

A permanent magnet displaced inside a solenoid connected to an a.c supply.

The magnet is withdrawn from solenoid slowly.

This disturbs the alignment of domains of domains and the magnet loses it's properties.
 Magnetic domains in a Bar Magnet:

These domains point

towards North pole from
South pole.

Earth as a huge bar magnet

When a bar magnet is suspended and free to rotate, it aligns itself with the magnetic
field of earth.
The same principal is used in a magnetic compass.

Magnetic compass

It consists of a tiny magnet which

rotates and aligns with earth's
magnetic field .The pointer is a
permanent magnet usually made
of steel.

Detection of poles

The nature of poles produced on an electromagnet are determined by Right-Hand

Grip Rule:

"Grip the solenoid with the right hand such that the fingers are in the direction of
current and thumb point towards N-pole."
 Solenoid

A coil of insulated wire is called a solenoid

A charge at set produces electric field.

A moving charge (current) produces negative field.
A current carrying solenoid produces a magnetic field.
Greater the current, stronger the magnetic field.
It can be determined by Right-hand Grip rule.

Direction of current in solenoid.

Electromagnets

It is an electricity controlled magnet.

When a current (d.c.) is passed through a long coil, the current creates a magnetic field
around the coil similar to that of a bar magnet.
 The magnetic field around a
solenoid (a long coil) is
identical to the magnetic field
of a bar magnet

Placing a soft magnetic material (such as iron) inside the coil will make the field much
stronger:
The coil becomes an electromagnet.

An electromagnet
consists of a coil of wire
surrounding a soft iron
core.

Electromagnets have an advantage over ordering magnets as they can be turned

on and off and the magnetic field strength can be changed

The strength of an electromagnet’s magnetic field may be increased by:

1) Increasing the current in the coil
2) Adding more turns to the coil

Magnetic Shielding

A soft iron can be used for magnetic shielding because it channels all magnetic field
lines through itself.
Properties of Iron and Steel

Uses of permanent magnets

In making bar magnets.
In making needles of plotting compass.
In making magnetic door catchers.
In devices like loudspeakers, motors and generators, etc...

Uses of Temporary Electromagnets

In magnetic shielding.
In cranes to lift heavy pieces of iron/steel.
In devices like electric bell, transformer, magnetic relay, etc...

Uses of magnetic materials in audio/video tapes

Audio and video cassettes consist of a tape

of a magnetic material on which sound is
saved in a particular form of a magnetic field.
For this purpose sound waves are changed
into electric pulses which are made by
amplifier. Magnetic tape of the cassette is
moved through the head of audio cassette
recorder which is in fact an electromagnet.
Change of current in wire wrapped on the
electromagnet causes a change in linked
magnetic field. Thus magnetic tape is
magnetized in particular form according to
rise and fall of current. In this way sound is
stored in specific magnetic pattern in this
tape.