Download magnetism - Herricks

MAGNETISM
What is it?
Where is it?
What can we do with it?
What Is a Magnet?
What are Magnets?
A magnet is an object that can
push or pick up materials
made of iron, steel, or nickel.
A magnet is made of these
same materials.
What Is a Magnetic Field?
A Magnetic Field Is…
An invisible force of attraction
between certain materials and a
magnet.
The invisible force is created by
electric currents. (Electric currents are
caused by the movement of
electrons.)
How Do Magnets Work?
How Do Magnets Work?
We know everything is made of atoms…
Electrons move around the nucleus in
orbit, but they also spin on their axis at the
same time (just like spinning tops).
We know electrons carry electric currents
when they move through materials such
as metals. You can think of electrons as
tiny particles of electricity.
Magnetism is caused by electrons
moving inside atoms and creating
magnetic fields all around them.
In groups of atoms, spinning
electrons produce a magnetic field
pointing one way or another.
When electrons are arranged
in a specific way, rather than
jumbled up, what do you think
will happen? Think about static
electricity…
Can We Create Magnets?
Tomorrow: How Are Magnets Used to
Create Electricity?
Things to Know About Magnets
A magnet has two poles (north & south)…two ends.
The north pole of one magnet attracts the south pole of a
second magnet, and vice versa.
A magnet creates an invisible area of magnetism all
around it called a magnetic field.
The north pole of a magnet points roughly toward Earth's
north pole and vice-versa - Earth contains magnetic
materials and behaves like a gigantic magnet. (Compass)
If you cut a bar magnet in half, you get two brand new,
smaller magnets, each with its own north and south pole.
If you run a magnet a few times over an un-magnetized
piece of a magnetic material (such as an iron nail), you
can convert it into a magnet as well. This is called
magnetization.