Magnetism and Electromagnetism: Fundamentals and Applications

This page introduces the core concepts of magnetism and electromagnetism, focusing on the differences between temporary and permanent magnetism and their practical applications.

Magnetic materials are classified based on their ability to retain magnetism. Temporary magnet examples include soft materials like iron, which lose their magnetism when the magnetic field is removed. In contrast, permanent magnet examples are made of hard materials like steel, which retain their magnetism.

Definition: Non-magnetic materials are substances that are not attracted to magnets and cannot be magnetized.

The page explains magnetic field lines, which represent the magnetic force on a north pole at any given point. The direction of these lines indicates the force direction, while their proximity shows the force magnitude.

Highlight: Magnetic field lines always go from north to south poles and never overlap.

Electromagnetism is introduced as the phenomenon where an electric current passing through a conductor produces a magnetic field. The right-hand grip rule is explained as a method to determine the direction of the magnetic field produced by a current-carrying wire.

Example: In the right-hand grip rule, the thumb points in the direction of the current, while the fingers wrap around to show the direction of the field.

The page also covers electromagnets, which consist of a coil of wire wrapped around a magnetically soft core, usually iron. These can be turned on and off and are also known as solenoids.

Vocabulary: Solenoids are coils of wire that produce a magnetic field when an electric current passes through them.

The motor effect is described as the force experienced by a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field. This principle is fundamental to the operation of electric motors.