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Magnetism
Magnetism is the force exerted by magnets when they attract or repel
each other

GRADES

9 - 12

SUBJECTS

Earth Science, Geology, Geography, Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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P H OTO G R A P H

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Magnetic Sand
Black sand on the beaches of La Ventanilla, Mexico, is magnetized. The iron
oxide in the sand is attracted to the strong magnetic field produced by the
magnet the man is holding.

P H OTO G R A P H B Y M A RY L O U N A C C A R ATO, MY S H OT

A RT I C L E VO C A B U L A RY

Magnetism is the force exerted by magnets when they attract or repel

each other. Magnetism is caused by the motion of electric charges.

Every substance is made up of tiny units called atoms. Each atom has
electrons, particles that carry electric charges. Spinning like tops, the
electrons circle the nucleus, or core, of an atom. Their movement
generates an electric current and causes each electron to act like a
microscopic magnet.

In most substances, equal numbers of electrons spin in opposite

directions, which cancels out their magnetism. That is why materials such
as cloth or paper are said to be weakly magnetic. In substances such as
iron, cobalt, and nickel, most of the electrons spin in the same direction.
This makes the atoms in these substances strongly magnetic—but they
are not yet magnets.

To become magnetized, another strongly magnetic substance must

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enter the magnetic field of an existing magnet. The magnetic field is the
area around a magnet that has magnetic force.

All magnets have north and south poles. Opposite poles are attracted to
each other, while the same poles repel each other. When you rub a piece
of iron along a magnet, the north-seeking poles of the atoms in the iron
line up in the same direction. The force generated by the aligned atoms
creates a magnetic field. The piece of iron has become a magnet.

Some substances can be magnetized by an electric current. When

electricity runs through a coil of wire, it produces a magnetic field. The
field around the coil will disappear, however, as soon as the electric
current is turned off.

Geomagnetic Poles

Earth is a magnet. Scientists do not fully understand why, but they think
the movement of molten metal in Earth’s outer core generates electric
currents. The currents create a magnetic field with invisible lines of force
flowing between Earth’s magnetic poles.

The geomagnetic poles are not the same as the North and South Poles.
Earth’s magnetic poles often move, due to activity far beneath Earth’s
surface. The shifting locations of the geomagnetic poles are recorded in
rocks that form when molten material called magma wells up through
Earth’s crust and pours out as lava. As lava cools and becomes solid rock,
strongly magnetic particles within the rock become magnetized by
Earth’s magnetic field. The particles line up along the lines of force in

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Earth’s field. In this way, rocks lock in a record of the position of Earth’s
geomagnetic poles at that time.

Strangely, the magnetic records of rocks formed at the same time seem
to point to different locations for the poles. According to the theory of
plate tectonics, the rocky plates that make up Earth’s hard shell are
constantly moving. Thus, the plates on which the rocks solidified have
moved since the rocks recorded the position of the geomagnetic poles.
These magnetic records also show that the geomagnetic poles have
reversed—changed into the opposite kind of pole—hundreds of times
since Earth formed.

Earth’s magnetic field does not move quickly or reverse often. Therefore,
it can be a useful tool for helping people find their way around. For
hundreds of years, people have used magnetic compasses to navigate
using Earth’s magnetic field. The magnetic needle of a compass lines up
with Earth’s magnetic poles. The north end of a magnet points toward
the North Magnetic Pole, which holds a south magnetic charge.

Earth’s magnetic field dominates a region called the magnetosphere,

which wraps around the planet and its atmosphere. Solar wind, charged
particles from the sun, presses the magnetosphere against Earth on the
side facing the sun and stretches it into a teardrop shape on the shadow
side.

The magnetosphere protects Earth from most of the particles, but some
leak through it and become trapped. When particles from the solar wind
hit atoms of gas in the upper atmosphere around the geomagnetic

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poles, they produce light displays called auroras. These auroras appear
over places like the U.S. state of Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, where
they are sometimes called “Northern Lights.” The “Southern Lights” can
be seen in Antarctica and New Zealand.

FA ST FAC T

Animal Magnetism
Some animals, such as pigeons, bees, and salmon, can detect
Earth's magnetic field and use it to navigate. Scientists aren't sure
how they do this, but these creatures seem to have magnetic
material in their bodies that acts like a compass.

FA ST FAC T

Historic Directions
The ancient Greeks and Chinese knew about naturally magnetic
stones called "lodestones." These chunks of iron-rich minerals may
have been magnetized by lightning. The Chinese discovered that
they could make a needle magnetic by stroking it against a
lodestone, and that the needle would point north-south.

Articles & Profiles

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National Geographic Science: Magnetic north just changed. Here's

what that means.

National Geographic Science: Turtles use the Earth’s magnetic field

as a global GPS

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NASA: Magnetism

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