What Makes a Magnet Work?
Basics A magnet is loosely defined as any object or material that produces a magnetic field. Although this definition encompasses electromagnets, which produce magnetic fields as a result of electrical current, in most cases the term “magnet” is used to describe permanent magnets, which are objects made from a material that can be permanently magnetized. These materials are also the ones that can be strongly attracted to other magnets, and are known as ferromagnetic materials. Some examples of ferromagnetic materials are cobalt, iron and nickel, as well as other natural minerals, including lodestone. Ferromagnetic materials can be divided into “hard” ferromagnetic materials, which are what permanent magnets are made out of, and “soft” materials, which are attracted to magnets but cannot be permanently magnetized. General Principles Behind Magnetism Magnetism, in general, arises from two sources. The first is the movement of electrical charges. The second is the intrinsic “magnetic mome
