why are ferrous metals attracted to magnets?
139513
Metals are attracted to magnets due to unbonded electron pairs that can be easily influenced by a magnetic field.\nFerrous metals (refering to Iron) can be easily influenced by a magnetic field, making them very magnetic.
883128
Use a magnet. Iron is attracted to it, lead is not.
68668
Opposite charges attract, like charges repel.  So the North end of one magnet attracts the South ed of another.
451560
A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field. The word magnet comes from the Greek (magnētēs lithos), which means "magnesian stone". Magnesia was an area in Ancient Greece, in present-day Manisa, Turkey where deposits of magnetite have been discovered since antiquity.\n\nElectronic generation of magnetism\nElectrons play the primary role in generating a magnetic field. Within an atom, electrons can exist either individually or in pairs within any given orbital. When they are paired, the individuals in that pair always have opposite spin — one up, one down. The fact that the spins have opposite orientation means that the two cancel one another. If all electrons are paired, no net magnetic field will be generated.\n\nIn some atoms, there are electrons that are unpaired. All magnets have unpaired electrons, but not all atoms with unpaired electrons are ferromagnetic. In order for the material to become ferromagnetic, not only must there be unpaired electrons present, but those unpaired electrons must interact with one another over long ranges such that they are all oriented in the same way. The specific electron configuration of the atoms (as well as the distance between atoms) is what leads to this long range ordering. The electrons find that they can exist in a lower energy state if they all have the same orientation.\n\n\nNorth-south pole designation and the Earth's magnetic field\nA standard naming system for the poles of magnets is important. Historically, the terms north and south reflect awareness of the relationship between magnets and the earth's magnetic field. A freely suspended magnet will eventually orient itself north-to-south, because of its attraction to the north and south magnetic poles of the earth. The end of a magnet that points toward the Earth's geographic North Pole is labeled as the north pole of the magnet; correspondingly, the end that points south is the south pole of the magnet.\n\nThe Earth's current geographic north is thus actually its magnetic south. Confounding the situation further, magnetised rocks on the ocean floor show that the Earth's magnetic field has reversed itself in the past, so this system of naming is likely to be backward at some time in the future.\n\nFortunately, by using an electromagnet and the right hand rule, the orientation of the field of a magnet can be defined without reference to the Earth's geomagnetic field.\n\nTo avoid the confusion between geographic and magnetic north and south poles, the terms positive and negative are sometimes used for the poles of a magnet. The positive pole is that which seeks geographical north.\n\n\nCommon uses for magnets\nMagnetic recording media: Common VHS tapes contain a reel of magnetic tape. The information that makes up the video and sound is encoded on the magnetic coating on the tape. This is why magnets will destroy the information in these types of tapes. Common audio cassettes also rely on magnetic tape. Similarly, in computers, floppy disks and hard disks record data on a thin magnetic coating. \nCredit, debit, and ATM cards: All of these cards have a magnetic strip on one of their sides. This strip contains the necessary information to contact an individuals financial institution and connect with their account(s). \nCommon televisions and computer monitors: The vast majority of TV's and computer screens rely in part on an electromagnet to generate an image--see the article on cathode ray tubes for more information. Plasma screens and LCDs rely on different technology entirely. \nLoudspeakers and microphones: Loudspeakers actually rely on a combination of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet. A speaker is fundamentally a device to convert electric energy (the signal) into mechanical energy (the sound). The electromagnet carries the signal, which generates a changing magnetic field that pushes and pulls on the field generated by the permanent magnet. This pushing and pulling moves t
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Three types of magnets:\n\n-Ferromagnets: Magnets which retain a magnetic field after having been magnetised in a magnetic field.\n\n-Paramagnets: Magnets that only exert a magnetic field when they're in another magnetic field.  They support the magnetic field they're in.  Usually their fields are quite weak compared to the external fields.\n\n-Dimagnets: Magnets that exert a magnetic field when they're in another magnetic field but opposing the field.  (Think: *DI*ametrically opposite).  Again, field intensity created by these magnets typically is very small compared to the external field.\n\nAdditionally, many dimagnetic and paramagnetic materials may become ferromagnetic if they are sufficiently cooled.\n\nPermanent magnets are most often ferromagnetic and will retain their magnetism for a long time even in the absense of a magnetic field.  Over time, however, thermal effects will slowly decrease field intensity, but that takes a long time for permanent magnets.
975911
First of all, I'm not professional of physical. I don't know at all, but Iron and steel are really high permeability, and strongly attract to magnet. Seem like the steel bar would tell you which one rely force electron. I don't think Iron has any thing to do with steel.
30487
Well even though humans have known about magnets for thousands of years, the real reason they work is still somewhat mysterious. Depending on how deep you want to investigate, it can be a very complicated phenomenon. \n\nA magnet is, at its foundation, caused by the movement of electrical charge (yes this is the Biot-Savart Law). When charges (like electrons for example) move, they produce magnetic fields. If a charge moves in a loop, it creates a magnetic field. The magnetic field can be basically represented by an invisible set of arrows in space, that point in a direction. In the case of the loop, the arrows of the magnetic field will point out of the loop for a positive charge moving counter clockwise (this is the so-called "right hand rule"), and into the loop for a charge moving clockwise (some pictures are in the reference attached). \n\nThe magnetic field has a "north" end and a "south end". The little arrows from our moving charge are pointing in the "north" magnetic direction, and away from the "south" magnetic direction. It is a mysterious and interesting property of electromagnetism that two objects with fields that oppose each other, i.e., the little arrows of the field do not line up, so either the north end of one field is facing the north end of the other field, or the two south ends are facing each other, repel, or resist movement of the two objects towards each other with some force. \n\nOn the other hand, if the little arrows line up, the two objects attract each other with some force. \n\nThe little arrows are aligned along the so-called "magnetic lines of force". \n\nThe forces that result from magnetic fields (and for that matter, electric fields) are fundamental forces, and part of the four fundamental forces of the universe (strong, weak, electromagnetic and gravity). It is believed that these forces are caused, at their base, by particles passing "messenger particles" back and forth. In the case of electromagnetism, the messenger particle is a photon. How this actually works is still somewhat poorly understood, and is involved with the world of quantum mechanics, which is very counterintuitive but interesting. \n\nHowever, what is important is that we understand it well enough to make models of magnetism, and to make predictions based on those models which we can verify and use. All of electricity and electric motors are based on our ability to design systems with magnets and to be able to build and use them.
107873
Because the magnet is just Iron, which can be heated up a LOT without disintergrating.  In fact, the pressure keeps it as a solid, which wouldn't normally happen at that temperature.
1150115
it depends on the alloy of stainless steel (there are MANY different varieties of stainless steel) -- some stainless steels are "magnetizeable," others are not.\n\ncommon non-magnetic stainless steels include those found in automotive exhaust systems and those found in naval submarine hulls.\n\nif you're talking about the outside case of the refrigerator, it's usually made of a magnetic steel (hence "refrigerator magnets")\n\nif your fridge's steel is non-magnetic, the only way to magnetize it is to replace the non-magnetic steel with a magnetic variety.  as an intellectual exercise, this is theoretically possible; however, it is not economically practical.
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I've already answered this question and you might want to refer to that for more details. But here goes. \n\nA magnet is made of ferromagnetic materials, and will only attract ferromagnetic materials. These are iron, nickel and cobalt. Any alloy that contains one or more of those is ferromagnetic.\n\nThe metal forms tiny grains as it cools from a liquid to a solid, and within these tiny grains are even smaller regions called magnetic domains. Think of groups of atoms packed together. Unless a material is abolutely pure, there will be odd atoms of other elements and when the metal cools, they do not stack together absolutely correctly. If it is only a tiny amount of impurities, we do not notice the difference in terms of size, shape or weight.\n\nBut the domains are not lined up the same. Think of a bunch of guys just starting basic training. They are all milling around on the parade ground. But let's say that we heat the bar of metal until it is almost ready to melt and then subect it to a strong magnetic field (stick it inside the coil of a strong electromagnet, and let it cool that way.)\n\nNow they are all lined up the same way (just the way a bunch of paper clips will al line up when you pick them up with a magnet.) And when the metal cools and become solid once more, now they stay in that position. It is like a drill sergeant coming and yelling at the new recruits until they line up in formation. Now they are ready to take orders and get some useful work done.\n\nWhen the troops all line up and march the same way, you can see the result. They are more orderly, when they march along their feet all hit the ground at once, and they look unstoppable! \n\nIt is the same way with the magentic material. Each one of the individual atoms has its own magnetic field, but when they are all pointing in random directions, nothing useful can be done. Some are pointing one way, some the opposite way. They act against each other and their corporate effect cannot be felt.\n\nSo, now that the atoms within the domains are lined up together, and the metal has cooled and solidified into a solid bar again, the domains are lined up in formation. Now, they are all pointing in the same direction and we can feel the effects of the magnetic field even outside the magnet itself. The magnetic field reaches beyond the magnet and loops around in space until it reaches the other pole, forming a sort of circuit.\n\nOkay, now we have a magnet and we can understand why it attracts another magnet, because opposite poles attract. north attracts south and south attracts north. (No such thing as gay magnets! it's a law of nature!). \n\nBut why does it attract ordinary non-magnetized iron or steel?\n\nThat has to do with the fact that even though the metal is solid, and the atoms cannot flow away as in a liquid, the atoms are still free to rotate in place without moving from where they are.\n\nThink of the group of raw recruits before they go through their basic training. They are standing around. All of a sudden, they hear a loud noice. It is the drill sergeant yelling at them. All their heads turn in his direction! He has their attention. It is the same way with a magnet.\n\nWhen the magnetic field of a magnet acts on the atoms (iron, nickel or cobalt) of a piece of ferromagnetic alloy that has not yet been magentized, even though the atoms can't move from their spots, they rotate to face in the direction of the magnetic field. They temporarily act together, just as the domains inside the permanent magnet do. The fancy scientific name for this is 'magnetic induction'.\n\nNow, the temporary (induced) pole in the piece of metal is attracted to the permanent pole of the permanent magnet. They move together, because the tendency is for the magnetic field to travel as short a distance as possible, and a pole alwasy induces the opposite pole. The two together, so the magnetic field can travel across the shortest possible distance.\n\nWhen the
1123749
Hey there:\n\nInteresting question, because a month ago, i stumbled upon a thrown away harddrive while walking my dog.  I desembled it while I was at home, and found inside it TWO EXTREMELY POWERFULL RARE EARTH MAGNETS.  Also, around on each side of these magnets, was a magnetic shield, that did not allow them to attract from one side, but yes from the other.  If I was you, look for any thrown away harddrive, they all have them, and you will also be getting an extremly powerfull magnet while you are at it.
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Paramagnetism causes the substance to be attracted into the inducing magnetic field. It is associated with unpaired electrons.\n\nDiamagnetism causes the substance to be repelled from the inducing magnetic field. It is associated with paired electrons.
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The three types of ferrous metals are cast irons, steels, and iron.\n\nThe link will give applications of each.
1092759
I had the same problem when I learned about both of them. \nBut now think of it in a different way. You are assuming that the magnetic FORCE that magnets have on certain metals. But if you think about it carefully they don't create or destroy energy. \nIf you don't beleive me consider a piece of iron with only gravity working on. But its height is 0 so it has no Potential or Kinetic energy. But now let's say you bring in a magnet. Now naturally that will make the iron bar rise and stick to the magnet. Now a natural assumption would be that you just created potential energy because the height of the iron bar just increased. But now you have to consider the fact that magnet is still putting some force on the Iron bar. So no change in potential energy occured. No change in Kinetic energy occured once the bar stuck to it. and the Energy needed to bring the bar up could be accounted by the energy needed to bring iron bar in. This shows that there was no energy created.  \nI think that you are trying to overthink the problem. I think this should help good luck.
775698
An electron, with its negative charge, is surrounded by an electromagnetic field. Normally, in most materials, this field is canceled out by the random positioning of all of the other electrons in the material. \n\nIf these electrons are aligned, the material will become a magnet with the magnetic fields aligned toward one end of the material.\n\nIf the electrons are traveling through the material (current or electrical flow) the magnetic field will be moving with the electrons and will surround the wire (refer to "right hand rule") \nIf the wire is coiled around a piece of iron, for instance, this magnetic field will become very strong and align the electrons in the iron - thus magnetizing the iron.
1025824
There are a couple of naturally occurring ferromagnetic substances, like magnetite (Fe3O4) or nickel-iron from comets, which can act as permanent magnets. The metals iron, nickel and cobalt all exhibit ferromagnetism and can be magnetized. Oxide minerals from these elements may be ferromagnetic, too.
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Iron, cobalt and nickel.