The word Magnet gets its name from the Ancient Greek town of Magnesia.
The Greek philosopher Thales was the first person who described this phenomenon in 550BC.
The Origin of Magnets
The Magnesia mountains contained an iron containing mineral (iron oxide) called lodestone. The modern name of lodestone is magnetite. The Greeks discovered that lumps of this rock stuck to one another or pushed each other away. Such materials that have the property to attract one another or repel one another are called magnets. Throughout the middle ages many people believed that loadstones had medical powers. During this period, it was discovered that a loadstone would point to the north.
Magnetism is an invisible form of energy that constitutes a fundamental force in nature. It can move objects towards each other, move them away from each other or simply make them stay in position. The Earth itself is a huge magnet that exhibits magnetism.
The first use of magnetism was in the magnetic compass. It was used by sailors and explorers to find the right direction. The modern world uses the property of magnetism in many ways.
Magnetism produces electricity in power stations, and is used in appliances like motors, refrigerators, cassette players and recorders, computer discs, etc. The Earth’s magnetism is used for sending radio signals.
Properties of Magnets
Attractive Property: Magnets attract metals like iron, steel, nickel and cobalt.
Directive Property: A freely suspended magnet always points in the north – south direction.
Like poles repel and unlike poles attract.
Poles exist in pairs.
Magnetic Field
The space around a magnet in which any other magnet or certain metals experience a force, is called a magnetic field.
Bring a steel pin near the pole of a bar magnet. It will stick to the magnet. It is observed that:
If another pin is brought near the first pin, the second pin sticks to the first pin.
As the number of pins is increased, the intensity with which the subsequent pins are attracted decreases.
The pin at the end of the chain is not held very strongly and drops down at the slightest shake.
This suggests that there is a region around the magnet where its effect can be felt. This influence decreases as the subject moves further and further away from the magnet.
The space around a magnet in which any other magnet or certain metals experience a force, is called a magnetic field.
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