Magnetism and
b. Magnetic poles also exert attractive or
Electromagnetism repulsive forces on each other similar to the
electrical forces between charged objects.
Theory of Magnets: Magnetic domains They attract only magnetic materials
c. Like poles repel each other and unlike poles
attract each other.(law of magnets)
Repulsion force – like poles
.
Magnets and magnetic materials are made up of small
tiny magnets called DIPOLES. These dipoles are
grouped together in regions called DOMAINS.
Domains consists of dipoles which are facing in the Attraction force – Unlike poles
same direction
In magnets, the dipoles are aligned in one direction.
In what is called hard magnetic materials or magnets,
domains remain aligned even after the external field is
removed; the result is a permanent magnet.
d. Magnetic strength is concentrated at the ends
(poles) of the magnet.
Bar magnet U shaped magnet
In soft magnetic materials, such as iron, once the
external field is removed, the material quickly returns
to an unmagnetized state. MAGNETIC MATERIALS
Soft magnets Hard magnets Magnetic materials are those materials that can be
Iron Steel , nickel, attracted by magnets; these materials are called
cobalt
FERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS, e.g. iron, nickel,
Easily magnetized by Harder to magnetise
weak magnetic field and demagnetize cobalt, and stainless steel
Can be magnetized by Requires strong
weak magnetic field magnetic field to NON-MAGNETIC MATERIALS
magnetize
Temporary magnets Permanent magnets Known as NON FERROMAGNETIC materials are
such as electromagnets such as bar those materials that cannot be attracted by magnets.
found in transformer magnets, fridge These include among others: aluminium, wood, plastic,
coils, at scrap yards, deco magnets rubber etc.
magnetic shields etc.
INDUCED MAGNETISM
PROPERTIES OF MAGNETS When a magnetic is brought into contact with a magnet
material, magnetism is induced in magnetic material.
a. If a bar magnet is suspended from its midpoint Dipoles are aligned to one direction. The magnetized
by a piece of string so that it can swing freely in
material will behave like a magnet. This process is
a horizontal plane, it will rotate until its North
Pole points to the north and its South Pole called Magnetic Induction.
points to the south. The same idea is used to
construct a simple compass. If you hold a bar magnet near or in contact with a soft
iron nail, the nails becomes a magnet by induction.
The nail retains its magnetism only if the magnet is in
contact with the magnet. It will pick several pins. The
number of pins attracted will depend on the strength of
the magnet. Immediately when the nail in contact with
the magnet is removed, all nails will fall.
Increasing voltage
S N Increasing the number of turns in the coil
Pins
Locating the polarity magnet
Fleming’s Right Hand Rule -The fingers are placed in
If steel pins are used instead of iron nail, when the pin the direction that the eclectic current flows around the
in contact with the magnet is removed, the pins will still coil. The thumb points towards the North Pole end of
be attracted to one another because is a hard the coil.
magnetic material.
MAGNITIZATION: inducing magnetism on magnetic
material
1. STROKING/TOUCH METHOD.
a) Single stroking/touch: a steel bar is stroked
from end to end several times in the same
direction with a known pole of permanent
magnet. The end of the steel bar where the End of view – when view solenoid ends where current
stroking ends will have the opposite pole of the flow in the anticlockwise direction, polarity will be a
stroking pole North Pole and the flow is in the clockwise direction,
South Pole is produced.
b) Double stroking/touch: A bar is stroked from
the center outward with unlike poles of two DEMAGNETISATION - It means taking away
magnets magnetism or causing the dipoles to misalign. It can
also refer to destroying of magnetism of a magnet.
This can be achieved by:
a) Hammering or hitting or dropping the magnet
b) Heating the magnet
c) Placing the magnet inside a solenoid
Double touch will produce a stronger magnet than connected to alternating current (AC). While
single touch stroking the current is flowing the magnet is pulled out
of the solenoid
2. Magnetism can also be induced in iron (and other
materials) by other means. For example, if a piece MAGNETIC FIELDS
of unmagnetized iron is placed near a strong
permanent magnet, the piece of iron eventually A magnetic field is a volume of space where magnetic
becomes magnetized. force is exerted. All magnets are surrounded by
magnetic fields.
3. USING DIRECT CURENT
The magnetic effect of current is used to make
The shape of a magnetic field can be shown by Iron
magnets. A coil of insulated copper wire is
connected to direct current (dc). A soft iron or filings: A bar magnet is placed beneath a sheet of
steel is placed inside the solenoid and the current paper. Iron fillings are then sprinkled lightly on top of
switched on and off repeatedly. A solenoid is a the paper. The paper is tapped gently. Iron fillings will
coil of wire carrying an electric current. arrange in a particular pattern.
Magnetic strength can be increased by:
Increasing the current flowing
The direction of a magnetic field can be shown by a
Plotting compasses: a bar magnet is placed on top of
a plain sheet of paper and its edges traced out. A
plotting compass is placed at some point around the
a. b. c.
magnet. Two dots are made, one at the end of the
pointer and the other at the tail of the pointer. The
compass is then moved from one point to another
around the magnet. Joining the dots gives a pattern.
This method gives the direction of the field.
ELECTROMAGNETS
An electromagnet consists of a current carrying coil
wrapped around an iron core.
Magnetic field around a bar magnet
Uses of electromagnets
1. Scrap yard crane
The iron core of the electromagnet is a SOFT
magnetic material. When current flows the iron
becomes strongly magnetised and so picks up the
scrap iron and steel. When the current is turned off the
iron loses its magnetisation and so releases the scrap.
Magnetic fields between two bar magnets
2. The electric bell
EXERCISE
Complete the diagrams below by showing polarity
and direction of current
When the push switch is closed, current flows around
the circuit turning on the electromagnet. The soft iron
armature is pulled towards the electromagnet and the
hammer hits the gong. This causes the contact switch
to open cutting off the electric current. The spring now
pulls the armature back again closing the contact
switch. Current now flows again and the hammer hits
the gong again.
3. The relay switch
A relay switch is a way of using a low voltage circuit to
switch remotely switch a high voltage (and possibly
dangerous) circuit.
When switch is closed, the small current provided by
the cell causes the electromagnet to become
magnetised. The iron armature is then attracted to the
electromagnet causing the springy contact switch to
close in the high voltage circuit.
4. Circuit breaker
Current normally flows between terminals A and B
through the contact and the electromagnet.
When the current in a circuit increases, the strength of
the electromagnet will also increase. This will pull the
soft iron armature towards the electromagnet. As a
result, spring 1 pulls apart the contact and
disconnecting the circuit immediately, and stopping
current flow. The reset button can be pushed to bring
the contact back to its original position to reconnect the
circuit.
