Why a MAGNET is attracted to IRON?
Answers:
That is actually an incredibly sophisticated question.
Believe it or not - and I know this is annoying - the answer is, it just is. Magnetism is one of the basic forces in the universe; it's impossible to explain or analyse without having some serious physics at your disposal. If you really want to look it up, check out the book below, but if you aren't at least a sophomore with a Physics major, it might not help much.
Properties of magnets
Magnets are attracted to, or repelled by, other materials. A material that is strongly attracted to a magnet is said to have a high permeability. Iron and steel are two examples of materials with very high permeability, and they are strongly attracted to magnets. Liquid oxygen is an example of something with a low permeability, and it is only weakly attracted to a magnetic field. Water has such a low permeability that it is actually slightly repelled by magnetic fields. Everything has a measurable permeability: people, gases, and even the vacuum of outer space.
Each atom in a piece of iron is a magnet, with a north pole and a south pole. Most pieces of iron are not magnetic, since the atomic magnets all point in different directions.
When you bring a magnet near a piece of iron, the iron-atom magnets line up with the applied magnetic field: The north poles of the iron atoms all point in the same direction. Because the iron atoms line up, the piece of iron becomes a magnet and is attracted to the original magnet.
my answer is better because i didn't copy and paste it.
what he said
or even better try and catch the repeat of "I didn't know that" on National Geographic that was on tonight. It was all about magnets.
Or just look in wikpedia
Or search google
Or go to the library
Or ask a physics teacher.
It isn't - iron is attracted to the magnet.
The Truth is that at the moment no-one knows.
We can only accept that a magenet is attracted to Iron and other Magnetic materials due to a force we call electromagnetic force.
We can observe and use many phenomena but are far from knowing their true nature
A magnet is a piece of metal that has been magnetised.
The radial magnetic field emanates from each pole piece and when the magnet is held near another piece of metal it attracts it.
Of course the metal has to be ferrous in content.
Lenz law states a magnetic field is generated when a coil is wound around something and where north is in the direction of travel of the continuing wire. And it does.
Pass a piece of iron though it and you have magnetised the iron in the same manner,
Iron does not attract the magnet. The magnet attract the iron.
There are machines made to magnetise or demagnetise metals
and of course you can change the polarity of a magnetic field by reversing the current flow.
Previous answers cover the metal's detail but just a couple of points.
The best iron for magnetising come from Sweden.
Magnetism is the only source of electricity except for sunlight.
Magnetism is the World's answer for its future power needs if someone could unravel its very many mysteries.
Example -
When a metal plate is coated with ferrous oxide on one side it will change A.C. into D.C and no one knows why.
PS. One of the answers contains and talks about permeability?
You should understand this word covers two things.
The metal's ability to become magnetised, but more important, its ability to keep its magnetic form though leakage.
It has a downside though, it is the easiest magnet to destroy because it responds so easily to M.E.F.
A point not addressed I think?
Like poles repel. Opposite poles attract.
A bit like my wife really.
Good weapon magnetism? Only if you could polarise the target.
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