Electricity and Magnetism

Chapter 2(part 3) Magnetism

22.1 Properties of Magnets
22.2 Magnetic Properties of
Materials
22.3 The Magnetic Field of the
Earth

Objectives
1. Describe the forces between two permanent
magnets.
2. Sketch the magnetic field of a single permanent
magnet.
3. Predict the direction of the force on a magnet
placed in a given magnetic field.
4. Explain why ferromagnetic materials always
attract magnets of either pole.
5. Describe the theory behind why a compass
works.
6. Use a compass to find the direction of true north.

22.1 Properties of Magnets

Key Question:
How do magnets
interact with each
other?

*Students read Section

22.1 AFTER
Investigation 22.1

22.1 What is a magnet?

If a material is magnetic, it has the ability to
exert forces on magnets or other magnetic
materials.
A permanent magnet is a material that keeps
its magnetic properties even when it is NOT
close to other magnets.

22.1 Properties of Magnets

Magnets have two
opposite poles.
north
south

Magnets exert forces

on each other.
The forces depend
on the alignment of
the poles.

22.1 Properties of Magnets

Plastics, wood, and most insulating materials
are virtually transparent to magnetic forces.
Conducting metals, like aluminum, also allow
magnetic forces to pass through, but may
change the forces.

22.1 The force between two

magnets
The strength of the
force between magnets
depends on the
distance between them.
The magnetic force
decreases with distance
much faster than does
either gravity or the
electric force.

22.1 The force between two

magnets
Two magnets near each
other often feel a twisting
force, or torque.
This is a result of having
two poles.
The combination of
attractive and repulsive
forces on the same
magnet creates a torque.

22.1 The magnetic field

All magnets
create a
magnetic field in
the space around
them, and the
magnetic field
creates forces on
other magnets.

22.1 The magnetic field

The number of field lines in a
certain area indicates the
relative strength of the
magnetic field in that area.
The arrows on the field lines
indicate the direction of the
force.
The closer the lines are
together, the stronger the
field.
Magnetic field lines always
point away from a magnets
north pole and toward its

22.2 Magnetic Properties of Materials

Key Question:
How do magnets
interact with
different materials?

*Students read Section

22.2 AFTER
Investigation 22.2

22.2 Magnetic Properties of

Materials

The sources of nearly all

magnetic effects in
matter are the electrons
in atoms.
There are two ways in
which electrons create
magnetism:
1. Electrons around the
nucleus and their
motion makes the entire
atom a small magnet.
2. Electrons themselves

22.2 Magnetic Properties of

Materials

All atoms have electrons, so you might think

that all materials should be magnetic, but there
is great variability in the magnetic properties of
materials.
The electrons in some atoms align to cancel out
one anothers magnetic influence.
While all materials show some kind of magnetic
effect, the magnetism in most materials is too
weak to detect without highly sensitive
instruments.

22.2 Magnetic Properties of

Materials
In diamagnetic
materials, the electrons
are oriented so their
individual magnetic
fields cancel each other
out.
Individual atoms in
paramagnetic materials
are magnetic but the
atoms themselves are
randomly arranged so
the overall magnetism of
a sample is zero.

When paramagnetic
materials are placed in a
magnetic field, the atoms
align so that the material
is weakly magnetic.

22.2 Magnetic Properties of

Materials
A small group of metals
have very strong magnetic
properties, including iron,
nickel, and cobalt.
These metals are the best
known examples of
ferromagnetic materials.
Atoms with similar
magnetic orientations line
up with neighboring atoms
in groups called magnetic
domains.

22.2 Magnetic Properties of

Materials
Magnetic domains in a ferromagnetic material
will always orient themselves to attract a
permanent magnet.
If a north pole approaches, domains grow that have
south poles facing out.
If a south pole approaches, domains grow that have
north poles facing out.

22.2 Properties of magnets

Materials that make good
permanent magnets are
called hard magnets.
Steel, which contains iron
and carbon, is a common
and inexpensive material
used to create hard
magnets.
Materials that lose their
magnetism quickly are
called soft magnets.

22.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth

Key Question:
How do we use Earths
magnetic field to tell
direction?

*Students read Section

22.3 AFTER
Investigation 22.3

22.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth

As early as 500 B.C. people
discovered that some naturally
occurring materials such as
lodestone and magnetite
have magnetic properties.
By 1200, explorers from Italy
were using a compass to guide
ocean voyages beyond the
sight of land.

22.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth

When you use a compass,
the north-pointing end of
the needle points toward a
spot near (but not exactly
at) the Earths geographic
north pole.
The Earths magnetic poles
are defined by the planets
magnetic field.
That means the south
magnetic pole of the planet
is near the north geographic

22.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth

The gauss is a unit used to measure the strength
of a magnetic field.
The magnetic field of the Earth is very weak (0.5
gauss) compared with the strength of the field on
the surface of the classroom ceramic magnets
(1000 gauss).
Historical data shows that both the strength of the
Earths magnetic field and the location of the
north and south magnetic poles can switch places.
Today, the Earths magnetic field is losing
approximately 7 percent of its strength every 100
years.

22.3 The Magnetic Field of the Earth

Depending on where you are, a compass will point
slightly east or west of true north.
The difference between the direction a compass
points and the direction of true north is called
magnetic declination.
After correcting for the
declination, you rotate
the whole compass until
the north-pointing end
of the needle lines up
with zero degrees on
the ring.
The large arrow points
in the direction you

Application: Magnetic Resonance

Imaging