Magnetism
Naturally occurring magnets (Magnetite).
Movement of electrons produce a smaller magnetic fields.
Magnetic fields of group of atoms are known as magnetic domains.
If magnetic domains are aligned in a direction, material behaves as a magnet.
For some materials magnetic domains can be aligned externally.
When a magnet has its magnetic domains aligned, magnetic force is maximum at
it’s two ends known as South pole and North pole.
If a magnet is suspended freely so that it can swing in a horizontal plane it comes
to rest with one pole, the N pole, always pointing roughly towards the Earth’s
(geographic)north pole. A magnet can therefore be used as a compass.
The poles are the places in a magnet to which magnetic materials, such as iron
filings, are attracted. They are near the ends of a bar magnet and occur in pairs of
equal strength.
The law of magnetic poles summarises these facts and states: Like poles repel,
unlike poles attract.
The force between magnetic poles decreases as their separation increases.
Describe induced magnetism
State the difference between magnetic and non-magnetic materials
Temporary magnets made of soft iron; they lose their magnetism easily.
Permanent magnets made of steel; they retain their magnetism.
Magnetic materials such as iron that magnetise easily but readily lose their magnetism
(are easily demagnetised) are said to be soft.
Those such as steel that are harder to magnetise than iron but stay magnetised are
hard.
Both types have their uses; very hard ones are used to make permanent magnets.
Magnetic materials such as iron, steel, nickel and cobalt are attracted by a magnet
and can be magnetised temporarily or permanently.
Non-magnetic materials such as aluminium and wood are not attracted by a magnet
and cannot be magnetised.
Magnetic materials are materials that can be magnetised by a magnet; in their
unmagnetised state they are attracted by a magnet
Non-magnetic materials are materials that cannot be magnetised and are not
attracted by a magnet
Describe a magnetic field as a region in which a magnetic pole experiences a force
The space surrounding a magnet where it produces a magnetic force is called a
magnetic field.
It is useful to consider that a magnetic field has a direction and to represent the field
by lines of force.
It has been decided that the direction of a magnetic field at a point should be the
direction of the force on a N pole. To show the direction, arrows are put on the lines of
force and point away from a N pole towards a S pole.
Draw the pattern and direction of the magnetic field lines around a bar magnet
done
State that the direction of a magnetic field at a point is the direction of the force on the N pole of a magnet
at that point
done
Describe the plotting of magnetic field lines with a compass or iron filings and the use of a compass to
determine the direction of the magnetic field done
Explain that magnetic forces are due to interactions between magnetic fields
Know that the relative strength of a magnetic field is represented by the spacing of the magnetic
field lines
A magnetic field is stronger in regions where the field lines are close together than
where they are further apart.
State the differences between the properties of temporary magnets (made of soft iron) and the properties
of permanent magnets (made of steel)
Describe uses of permanent magnets and electromagnets
An electromagnet is formed from a coil of wire through which an electrical current is
passed.
The magnetism of an electromagnet is temporary and can be switched on and off, unlike
that of a
permanent magnet.
It has a core of soft iron which is magnetised only when there is current in the surrounding
coil.
The strength of an electromagnet increases if
(i) the current in the coil increases
(ii) the number of turns on the coil increases
(iii) the poles are moved closer together
(iv) a soft iron core is placed in between
Permanent magnets made from magnetic materials
such as steel retain their magnetism, so can be used in applications where the magnetic
field does not need to be varied.
These include a compass, computer hard disk, electric motor electricity generator,
microphone, loudspeaker and many more everyday devices such as credit and debit
cards.
An advantage over an electromagnet is that it does not require a current to maintain its
magnetism.
Electromagnets are temporary and are used where one wants to be able to vary the
strength of the magnetic field (by varying the current) and switch it on and off.
As well as being used in cranes to lift iron objects, scrap iron, etc. electromagnets are an
essential part of many electrical devices such as electric bells, magnetic locks, relays and
practical motors and generators
Describe the pattern and direction of the magnetic field due to currents in straight wires and in solenoids
done
Describe an experiment to identify the pattern of a magnetic field (including direction) due to currents in
straight wires and solenoids
State the qualitative variation of the strength of the magnetic field around straight wires and solenoids
Describe the effect on the magnetic field around straight wires and solenoids of changing the
magnitude and direction of current
Electromagnetism
The effect of producing electricity from magnetism was discovered in 1831 by Faraday
and is called electromagnetic induction
If a straight vertical wire passes through the centre of a piece of card held horizontally and
there is a current in the wire, iron filings sprinkled on the card settle in concentric circles
when the card is gently tapped.
Plotting compasses placed on the card settle along the field lines and show the
direction of the field at different points.
When the current direction is reversed, the compasses point in the opposite
direction showing that the direction of the field reverses when the current reverses.
