Magnetism produced by electricity is called electromagnetism. In 1820, Oersted discovered by accident that electric current creates a magnetic field. Around 1830, Michael Faraday discovered that a magnetic field can generate an electric current if a conductor crosses the lines of force in a magnetic field.

The field of electromagnetism was only six years old when Henry began teaching at the Albany Academy in New York. Danish scientist Hans Christian Oersted had discovered in 1820 that an electrical current in a wire from a battery caused a nearby compass needle to deflect.

1825

In 1825 William Sturgeon developed the first practical electromagnet by loosely winding a coil of un-insulated wire around a horseshoe-shaped piece of iron. To prevent the wire from shorting Sturgeon coated the iron in varnish.

William Sturgeon

Sturgeon

The ore was found in the district of magnesia in Asia Minor in Greece. That is why the ore was named magnetite. The phenomena of attraction of small pieces of iron, steel, cobalt and nickel towards the ore was called magnetism. The ore of iron showing this type of effect was called a natural magnet.

Greeks used the term magnet in six hundred B.C. for the mysterious stone that seemed to attract iron and other materials. It was first discovered by a Greek shepherd named Magnes (hence the terminology), when his stick that had an iron end got stuck to a rock.

Greece

A cylindrical magnet has only one pole. Artificial magnets were discovered in Greece. Similar poles of a magnet repel each other. Maximum iron filings stick in the middle of a bar magnet when it is brought near them.

The energy we have applied to the magnetic poles will make the magnet point in different directions, so the poles will be deformed. It is also possible to demagnetize a magnet by hitting the ends of the magnet with a hammer, which will alter the order of the magnet.

Artificial magnets were not discovered in Greece. Only natural magnets were discovered in Greece. Like poles of magnets repel each other, while unlike poles of magnets attract each other.

Where on a magnet is the magnetic pull the strongest? The magnetic field generated by any magnet is always strongest at either pole. The magnetic force is equally as strong at both the north and south pole.

A compass has a magnetic needle that can rotate freely. When a compass is kept at a place, the magnetic needle aligns in a north-south direction. The red arrow of the compass is termed as the North Pole and the other end is called as is termed as the South Pole and this helps Compass to fire us to find the directions.

A freely suspended magnet always rests in the north-south direction because the magnetic south pole of the earth lies in the geographic north direction and the magnetic north pole of the earth lies in the geographical south direction.

Two properties of a magnet are: (i) A magnet always has two poles: a north pole and south pole. (ii) Like magnetic poles repel each other and unlike magnetic poles attract each other.

Magnets are used to make a tight seal on the doors to refrigerators and freezers. They power speakers in stereos, earphones, and televisions. Magnets are used to store data in computers, and are important in scanning machines called MRIs (magnetic resonance imagers), which doctors use to look inside people’s bodies.

Applications of electromagnets

• Motors and generators.
• Transformers.
• Relays.
• Electric bells and buzzers.
• Loudspeakers and headphones.
• Actuators such as valves.
• Magnetic recording and data storage equipment: tape recorders, VCRs, hard disks.
• MRI machines.

Today, two hundred years later, we know that the human body is indeed magnetic in the sense that the body is a source of magnetic fields, but this body magnetism is very different from that imagined by Mesmer.

Use of magnet:

• Magnets are used in magnetic compass, doorbells, refrigerators.
• Magnets are used in dynamos, motors, loudspeakers, microphones etc.
• Ceramic magnets are used in computers.
• Magnets are used in toys to give a magic effect.

5 Uses of Magnets for Kids

• Compass. A compass uses a magnet to direct its needle to the north pole.
• Mag-Lev Trains. Magnetically levitated trains, known as mag-lev trains, use magnets under the cars to float above the magnetic tracks because the magnets are repelling each other.
• Vending Machines.
• Holding Things.
• Electric Motors.

Magnets are incredibly important, particularly due to the relationship between electricity and magnetism. They are widely used in a variety range of devices including simple toys, computers, refrigerator, MRI machines, transportation, business equipment, and medical equipment.

Iron is magnetic, so any metal with iron in it will be attracted to a magnet. Steel contains iron, so a steel paperclip will be attracted to a magnet too. Most other metals, for example aluminium, copper and gold, are NOT magnetic. Two metals that aren’t magnetic are gold and silver.

Iron

iron

magnetar

The most common metals used for permanent magnets are iron, nickel, cobalt and some alloys of rare earth metals.