Dr Vince Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes 197
10.5 MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF IRON AND STEEL
1. Iron is an element while steel is an alloy comprised of iron and carbon.
Hard magnetic materials: Magnetic materials such as steel which are harder to magnetise
but retain their magnetism longer are called hard magnetic materials.
Soft magnetic materials: Magnetic materials such as iron or special alloys like mumetal
alloy which are easier to magnetise but do not retain their magnetism very long are called
soft magnetic materials.
The comparison of magnetic properties between iron and steel
The magnetic properties of iron The magnetic properties of steel
can be easily magnetised and demagnetised is hard to magnetise and demagnetise than iron
can be magnetised by a weak magnetic field requires a strong magnetic field to magnetise
retains its magnetism temporarily retains its magnetism permanently
2. Both types of magnetic materials have their own useful applications.
3. The hard magnetic materials such as steel are used in the making of permanent magnets,
bar magnet, electric metre and loudspeaker.
4. Soft magnetic materials (such as iron) are used in the cores of transformers,
electromagnets, magnetic shielding, electric bell and magnetic relays.
Figure. 10.12 Magnetic shielding to store magnetically sensitive instruments such as watches
Magnetic field: The magnetic field is a region where magnetic effects can be detected.
198 Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes APEX
Chapter 10: Exercise 10.5
R112: Experiments were conducted to test the ability of a vertically held bar magnet to
attract soft iron nails. The results are shown in the figure.
N N N
S S S
soft iron aluminium held
in position
9 nails
7 nails 2 nails
(i) What happened to the soft iron nails when they were placed in contact with the
magnet? (ii) Suggest why the soft iron in Figure (b) picked up almost as many nails
as the magnet alone. (iii) State and explain what would happen if the magnet was
gently removed whilst the soft iron is still holding the 7 nails. (iv) Although
aluminium is a non-magnetic material, a few nails were attracted to it when it was
placed at the end of the magnet. Suggest the reason for this.
Ans: (i) Many soft iron nails were attracted to the magnet.
(ii) The soft iron becomes an induced magnet and can attract as many nails as the
magnet alone.
(iii) The 7 iron nails would fall down as the soft iron demagnetised easily.
(iv) Because there is the magnetic field of the permanent magnet below the
aluminium.
T80: (1) In which device is a permanent magnet used?
Q07: A. An electric bell B. An electromagnet C. A plotting compass D. A relay
Ans: C
T80: (2) In which device is a temporary magnet used?
A. Magnetic door catch B. Transformer
C. Moving coil galvanometer D. Loudspeaker
Ans: B
Dr Vince Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes 199
Q05: Which one of the following materials is most suitable for the core of an
electromagnet?
A. Steel B. Brass C. Iron D. Aluminium
Ans: C
Q06: 6. Which of the following materials is correctly described?
Material property use
A. iron not easily demagnetized permanent magnet
B. iron easily demagnetized electro-magnet
C. steel not easily demagnetized electro-magnet
D. steel easily demagnetized permanent magnet
Ans: B
Q08: (a) Explain why a greater repulsion is occurred
S
when the north pole of a bar magnet is brought
permanent
towards the two far ends of the two iron nails for magnet
the given figure. N
S
Ans: (a) The two iron nails became induced magnets induced
magnet
and showed repulsion between the far ends (Both
are north poles). SNS iron nail
When the north-pole of a bar magnet is brought N N
greater repulsion
towards the two far ends, a greater repulsion N
occurred because of repulsion between the north-
pole of the bar magnet and the north-poles of the
S
far ends.
200 Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes APEX
Q08: (b) Suggest what would be observed when the south pole of another bar magnet is
brought towards the two far ends of the two iron-nails in Figure. Explain by using
an appropriate Figure.
Ans: (b) A smaller repulsion is observed because of
S
the attraction between the south-pole of the bar
permanent
magnet and the north-poles of the far ends of the magnet
two iron nails. N
S
induced
magnet
SNS iron nail
N N
smaller repulsion
S
Q09: What are the main differences in the magnetic properties of soft iron and steel? How
would you demonstrate them, experimentally? For each substance, name an
instrument or piece of apparatus in which it is used because of its magnetic
properties.
Ans: Main differences in the magnetic properties of soft iron and steel
The magnetic properties of iron The magnetic properties of steel
can be easily magnetised and is hard to magnetise and demagnetise
demagnetised than iron
can be magnetised by a weak magnetic requires a strong magnetic field to
field magnetise
retains its magnetism temporarily retains its magnetism permanently
A soft iron bar and a steel bar are tapped to a board as shown in figures.
A bar magnet is placed on them.
Dr Vince Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes 201
When iron filings are sprinkled on them, soft iron bar attracts more iron filings than
the steel bar does. It shows that soft iron bar is easily magnetised while steel bar is
hard to magnetise.
When the bar magnet is removed, all the iron filings fall down from the soft iron bar
while there are some iron filings still being attracted to the steel bar. It shows that
soft iron is easily demagnetised and steel is hard to demagnetise.
Steel is used in the making of permanent magnets, bar magnet, electric meter and
loudspeaker.
Iron is used in the cores of transformers, electromagnets, magnetic shielding, electric
bell and magnetic relays.
Q10: (a) Describe briefly, with the help of simple diagrams if necessary; how you would
magnetise a steel rod PQ using a bar magnet so that P is a south-pole:
Ans: The steel bar is stroked several times by a permanent
magnet in the same way along its length.
The north pole of the permanent magnet must start from Q
and stroke towards P.
The magnet must be lifted high above the bar between N S
Q steel bar P
successive strokes.
The end of the steel bar where the strokes finish always has the opposite polarity to
that of the end of the stroking magnet.
So, the end P becomes the south pole after magnetising.
202 Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes APEX
Q10: (b) Describe briefly, with the help of simple diagrams if necessary; how an electric
current can be used to make a steel rod PQ a magnet with P a south-pole.
Ans: (b) Insert the bar PQ into a solenoid. Connect the circuit so that the current flows
into the end Q is anticlockwise. When the bar is magnetised, the end Q becomes the
north pole and the end P becomes the south pole.
steel bar in solenoid Q
P
S N
clockwise anticlockwise
electric current
rheostat
+
battery supplies switch
direct current
Q10: (c) Describe briefly, with the help of simple diagrams if necessary; how you would
check that the end P of the magnetized bar PQ was a South pole after operations in
numbers (a) and (b).
Ans: (c) Bring S pole of a bar magnet near P. If repulsion occurred it was south pole.
Q10: (d) Describe briefly, with the help of simple diagrams if necessary; an electrical
method to demagnetise the bar magnet PQ.
Ans: (d) If an alternating current is
allowed to flow through the
solenoid, PQ is
demagnetised.
Q11: (a) Give brief explanations:
(a) A piece of soft iron is attracted by a magnet
Ans: (a) When a bar magnet is brought near a piece of iron, it becomes a magnet itself and
attracted by the bar magnet. (OR) Iron is magnetic material and it is attracted to the
magnet.
Dr Vince Grade 10 Physics Detailed Notes 203
Q11 (b) Give brief explanations:
A small bar magnet placed on top of a cork floating on water, does not move towards
the north.
Ans: (b) The magnetic force exerted by the earth's
magnetic field on two poles of the bar magnet are
equal and opposite. Therefore, these two forces
cancel out and net force is zero. Hence, the cork and
the bar magnet do not move towards the north.
[ဘာလိ မေရွ
့ သလဲ ေမးတာ၊ မလည်သလဲ မဟတ်ဘး။]
Q11: (c) Give brief explanations:
S
Two steel needles hanging from the lower end of a
magnet
vertical bar magnet do not hang vertically in Figure. N
needles
AnsL (c) Induced magnetic north poles of two needles
S
repelled each other.
magnet
N
S S
N N
needles
