Class/Lesson #1

Magnetism and Electromagnetism

Magnetism is produced as a result of electrons spinning in their own axes while rotating about the nuclei of atoms.

Insert picture here.

See videos 1-Magnetic Salt - Dysprosium Nitratehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=4YSmr1psa_0 2- M.I.T. - Walter Lewin - Ferromagnetic Curie Point
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8ZHQQUusGo
Certain metals and metallic oxides are able to attract other metals.
This attraction is called Magnetism.
Materials that have magnetism are called magnets.
Permanent Magnets are magnets that keep their magnetism for a long time.
Modern magnets:
a)
Alloy magnets contain metals, e.g. iron, nickel, copper, cobalt, aluminium.
b)
Ceramic magnets are made from powders called ferrites which consist of iron oxide and barium oxide. They are
brittle.
Properties of Magnets
a)
b)
c)

Magnets only attract strongly to certain materials such as iron, steel, cobalt, nickel, which are called
ferromagnetics.
Magnetic poles. These are places in a magnet to which magnetic materials are attracted, e.g. iron filings.
North and south poles. If a magnet is allowed to swing in a horizontal plane, it comes to rest with the N pole
always pointing towards the earths North pole.

d)

Law of Magnetism like poles repel, unlike poles attract.

See youtube videosPhysics Lab Demo 6: Magnetic Field http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=GCHJmMdHNPo

1) Ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic materials are the ones normally thought of as magnetic; they are attracted to a
magnet strongly enough that the attraction can be felt. These materials are the only ones that can retain magnetization
and become magnets; E.g. steel, iron, nickel, cobalt.

Ferrimagnetic materials, which include ferrites and magnetite and lodestone, are similar to but weaker than
ferromagnetics.
The difference between ferro- and ferrimagnetic materials is related to their microscopic structure.
2) Paramagnetic substances such as platinum, aluminium, and oxygen are weakly attracted to a magnet. This effect is
hundreds of thousands of times weaker than ferromagnetic materials attraction, so it can only be detected by using
sensitive instruments, or using extremely strong magnets.
3) Diamagnetic means repelled by both poles. Diamagnetic substances such as carbon, copper, water, and plastic are
even more weakly repelled by a magnet. All substances not possessing one of the other types of magnetism are
diamagnetic; this includes most substances.
4) Nonmagnetic materials/metals that are not attracted by a magnet and that cannot be made into a magnet. E.g.
Copper, aluminium, gold, silver, lead, cloth, paper, plastic, rubber.

Class/Lesson #2
Magnetic Field- the space surrounding a magnet where it produces a magnetic force.
Lines of Force, Field lines or Flux invisible (curved) lines that leave or enter a magnet.
Characteristics of Magnetic Field/Flux Lines

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

they run from the north pole to the south pole outside the magnet. and from the south pole to the north pole inside the
magnet.
they do not cross/touch each other
they form a complete/unbroken loop.
they concentrate/focus at the poles.
they repel each other.

Other Magnetic Terms

Magnetic Domains this describes a region within a magnetic material which has uniform magnetization.
Magnetic Retentivity the ability to keep a magnetic domain for a long time.
Magnetic Permeability the ability to conduct magnetic lines of force.
Magnetomotive Force (MMF) the pressure/force which sets up a magnetic flux/field.
Magnetic Flux the total number of lines in a magnetic field.
Flux Density The concentration of flux per cross-sectional area.
Magnetic Field Intensity The Magnetomotive force per unit length of path.
Reluctance the opposition to the flow of magnetic flux.
Magnetic Energy the energy required to set up a magnetic field.
Magnet Shielding/Screening it is sometimes necessary to protect or shield certain components and instruments from the effects of
magnetic fields.

How Magnets Are Made

In order to make a magnet, energy in the form of a magnetic field must be applied to some magnetic material. This is called
magnetic induction.
An example of this is if a steel nail is placed in parallel to and near a permanent magnet. Understanding pg 116

The field lines from the magnet pass easily through the nail. This causes some of the domains in the steel to become aligned. Thus,
the magnetic induction process produces magnetic poles at the ends of the nail.
Permanent magnets are made with a magnetizer.

Eliminating Magnetism

A magnet is demagnetized when its magnetism is removed.

Magnetism can be removed from an object by using a demagnetizer.
A permanent magnet can also be demagnetized by;
1. heating
2. striking it with a hammer
3. rough handling
4. passing electricity
5. induction
See methods of magnetization and demagnetization youtube videos.
Demagnetization is sometimes called degaussing.
Common uses of magnets
- Permanent: motors, generators, loudspeakers, microphones, meters.
- Magnetic recording media: VHS tapes, audio cassettes, floppy disks and hard disks.
- Credit, debit, and ATM cards.
- Hospitals use Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to spot problems in a patient's organs without surgery.
- Transformers

Class/Lesson #3

ELECTROMAGNETISM
This is magnetism produced as current flows through a conductor or wire.
This important relationship between electricity and magnetism is known as electromagnetism, or the
magnetic effect of current. It is used in the operation of many different kinds of circuits, products, and devices.
Electromagnetic Field
This is the magnetic field produced by current. It is in the form of circles around the conductor/wire.
-Its strength depends on the amount of current passing through the conductor. The larger the amount of current, the
stronger the field.
The direction of the magnetic field depends on the direction of the current.

-If the current is a steady direct current (DC), the magnetic field is constant in polarity and in strength.
-An alternating current (AC) produces a magnetic field that reverses in polarity and changes in strength. This is called a
moving magnetic field.

RULES and PATTERNS:

Solenoid
To concentrate the magnetic field produced by current flowing in a wire, the wire is wound into a coil. When this is done, the
magnetic fields around the turns of the coil are added together. This increases the magnetic strength of the coil. A
coil wound in this manner is called a solenoid.

A solenoid has magnetic poles and a magnetic field that have the same properties as those of a permanent magnet.
If the solenoid is energized with DC, the polarity of its magnetic poles remains fixed. If the solenoid is energized with
alternating current, its magnetic polarity reverses with each reversal of the direction of the current.

Class/Lesson #4
Iron-Core Electromagnet

An electromagnet can be made more powerful by;

1. increasing the current in the coil.
2. increasing the number of turns on the coil.
3. placing the poles closer together (horseshoe electromagnet)

4. winding magnet wire around an iron core.

This is because iron is more permeable than air which means that iron can conduct magnetic lines of force more easily. As a
result, many more lines of force can pass between the poles of the electromagnet, producing a stronger magnetic field (see
diagram above).
If soft iron is used as the core, very little residual/leftover magnetism remains after the electromagnet has been turned off.
This is because soft iron has a low retentivity, or little ability to stay magnetized.

Electromagnet Terms .
The strength of an electromagnet is given by a unit called ampere-turns. This is the product of the coil current times the
number of turns of wire with which the coil is wound. The ampere-turns unit is useful for comparing the strengths of
electromagnets that operate at the same voltage.
Quantity
Symbol
Unit
Equation
FM I N
Magnetomotive
FM
AmpereForce
turn
Magnetic Flux

Weber

Flux Density
B
Tesla
T
Magnetic Field
Intensity
Permeability

magnetic energy
(for an inductor)

Ep,m

Ampere-turn/
Meter
Ampere-turn/
meter2
joules

A
IN
H

B
H

1
LI 2
2

Electromagnets are used in electric bells, buzzers, magnetic locks, relays, circuit breakers, transformers, generators,
motors, loudspeakers, microphones, and audio equipment for recording and playback.