Magnetism is known as the force of attraction or repulsion that a magnetic object can have over other ferrous elements. Nickel, iron, steel and other metals are in this category, however, by different chemical processes, the same force of attraction can be accommodated within other elements that do not naturally have the same capacity.
To understand how magnetism works, first we must understand that there are two types of magnetic objects, known as magnets. There are natural magnets and artificial magnets. The first have the ability of attraction, like their name suggests, from a natural state, without any specific action or process. In its composition, great concentrations of iron oxide can be found, and they’re are also denominated magnetite.
The others, the artificial ones, take into account their magnetic properties after being bathed with different substances strengthened with the same magnetite. After becoming magnets, they have the capacity to keep this property for a long time. Among the objects that can go through this process are iron and steel.
Having known the magnets, we also have to specify the poles, which will decide the capacity of attraction or repulsion in magnetism. They are in the ends of the magnet. The poles have the highest concentration of magnetic force, unlike the center, where this capacity is notably weaker.
The power of attraction of magnets can be seen if they are connected to inverse poles. If we take an magnet by its positive pole, known as north pole, and is join it with a negative pole, known as south pole, we will see how both poles are joined. On the contrary, if sides of the same magnetic charge are brought together, this will cause the power of repulsion. That’s why we say that opposite poles attract each other.
Also, it is worth mentioning the existence of the rest of the components of magnetism. Among them are the force lines, magnetic field, and also flux and permeability. About the force lines, they are established as the route described by the magnetic energy that travels between the poles. The magnetic field represents all the space where the force lines act, and these are the constituents of the same magnetic field.
The magnetic flux represents the amount of lines that exist inside this field. These travel from the north to the south of the magnet. The measurement of this flux is done by the Maxwell unit, in honor to James Clerk Maxwell, Scottish physicist known for developing the electromagnetic theory. How easy the flux and lines travel is known as magnetic permeability, which propagates through a magnetized object.
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