CHAPTER ONE
𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐒𝐌
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Objectives
By the end of this topic, the learner should be able to:
a) describe the properties and uses of magnets;
b) identify magnetic and non-magnetic materials;
c) state the basic law of magnetism;
d) describe patterns of magnetic field
e) describe methods of magnetization and demagnetization;
f) explain magnetization and demagnetization using the
domain theory;
g) construct a simple compass
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Content
I. Magnets: properties and uses.
II. Magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
III. Basic law of magnetism.
IV. Magnetic field patterns .
V. Magnetization and demagnetization
VI. Domain theory of magnetism.
VII. Care of magnets.
[Link] of a simple magnetic compass.
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Introduction
Magnetism is the ability of a magnet to attract some
materials and repel others.
Types of magnets
Magnets are categorized as either permanent or temporary.
The following permanent magnets are known depending on
their shapes.
a) Bar magnets.
b) Ring magnets.
c) Horse-shoe magnet.
d) U-shaped magnet.
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The bar magnet
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Ring magnets
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U-shaped magnet
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Horse-shoe magnet
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Properties of magnets
Some of the properties include:
a) Magnetic strength property
b) Directive property.
c) Magnetic Poles property
d) Attractive property.
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1. Magnetic strength property
• Magnetic poles refer to the ends of a magnet where the power of
attraction or repulsion is greatest.
• The force of attraction of a magnet is greatest at its poles. The force
reduces away from poles. This is why when a bar magnet is dipped in
iron fillings, the fillings cling mainly around the ends of the magnet.
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2. Directional property of a magnet
If a magnet is suspended by a thread and is free to rotate it
rotates and finally rests in the in the North-south direction.
This is called the directional property of a magnet
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3. Magnetic Poles property
Poles exist in pairs (North pole and South pole)
If a magnet is broken into two parts from the
middle, then each part is found to be a magnet.
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4. Attractive property
A magnet attracts magnetic substances like nickel,iron,steel and cobalt.
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Magnetic and non- magnetic materials
Magnetic materials are those that can be attracted by magnets e.g.
Iron, Nickel, Cobalt, Iron alloy like steel, Nickel alloy etc.
Non-magnetic materials are those that cannot be attracted by a
magnet e.g. Copper, Brass, Aluminium, Glass, wood, Graphite
Ferromagnetic materials are magnetic materials that are strongly
attracted by magnet e.g. soft iron
•
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The Basic Law of Magnetism
It states that like poles of magnets
repel while unlike poles attract
Repulsion occurs if N pole of a magnet is
brought near N pole of a suspended magnet.
Same applies with south pole and south pole
of a magnet.
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Why is Repulsion the only sure
test for polarity of magnet?
Polarity of any magnet may be tested by bringing poles in
turns to a suspended magnet near to the known poles of a
suspended magnet.
Repulsion indicates similar polarity.
Repulsion is the surest test for polarity because repulsion can
only occur between like poles of magnets.
Attraction is not sure test because it can occur between
unlike poles of magnets or between a magnet and
unmagnetized magnetic material.
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Example
•Describe how you would
verify the basic law of
magnetism given two bar
magnets and a piece of
thread
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Solution
• Procedure
• Suspend one bar magnet. Bring the north
pole of another magnet towards the north
pole of the suspended magnet and observe
what happens.
• Bring the same pole towards the south pole
of the suspended magnet.
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Observations and conclusion
•A north pole attracts a south pole
and repels a north pole while a
south pole repels a south pole.
Hence, like poles repel while unlike
poles attract.
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The magnetic Field and Magnetic field patterns
A magnetic field is the region or space around a magnet where the
magnetic influence is felt.
The magnetic field is represented by the magnetic lines of force.
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Magnetic field
Magnetic field
• The space around a magnet where the magnetic influence
(magnetic force of attraction and repulsion) is felt
• The field is stronger near the poles of the magnet and is
weaker farther away from the poles
Magnetic field lines
• These are lines of force which represent a magnetic field.
These lines form a magnetic field patterns
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Magnetic fields
Direction of magnetic field
• The direction of magnetic field at a point is the direction to which a
free north pole would move if placed at that point in the field.
Characteristics/ properties of magnetic field lines
a) Magnetic field lines start from the North Pole and end at the South
Pole.
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Magnetic fields
b) They repel each other sideways and form closed paths as shown
above
c) They do not intersect each other.
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Magnetic fields
d) They are closer together where the field is stronger
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The Magnetic Field Patterns
Some of the patterns include:
a) by the bar magnet.
b) by the horse-shoe magnet.
c) between two unlike poles.
d) between the two like poles.
e)Effect of soft iron –ring and rod.
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a) Field around a bar magnet.
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b. Field by the Horse – shoe magnet
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c. Field Between two unlike poles
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d) Between two like poles.
The repulsion force causes a neutral point X between the poles. At this
point the net magnetic field(force) is zero.
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e) Effects of soft-Iron ring
The soft iron ring concentrates the magnetic lines of force.
This prevents manetic lines from entering region P
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f) Effects of soft-Iron rod
The soft iron rod and ring can be used in magnetic shielding / screening
of measuring instruments and watches where magnetic fields are not
desired.
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• The soft iron ring concentrates the magnetic field lines thus
preventing them from pausing through region P.
• This is called magnetic shielding and region P is therefore
said to be shielded by the ring from magnetic fields.
Practical application of magnetic shielding
• The soft iron rods and rings are used in magnetic shielding
where some electrical measuring instruments and watches
are shielded and protected from stray magnetic fields
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Exercise
1. Describe how you would shield a magnetic material from a
magnetic field.
2. State one application of magnetic shielding.
3. Explain the meaning of the following
i) Magnetic field
ii) Magnetic lines of force
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Exercise
• The diagram below the magnetic field patterns between two
magnets P and Q
a) Identify poles A and B
b) State which of the two magnets P and Q is stranger. Explain.
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Exercise
• Sketch the magnetic field patterns for the arrangement below.
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The Earth Magnetic field
The north pole of suspended
magnet points in the
geographical north of the earth.
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Domain Theory of magnetism
It is also known as molecular theory of magnetism.
• According to this theory, a magnetic materials such as iron
have small molecular magnets inside called dipoles which are
contained in tiny ‘cells’ called domains.
• Within each domain all the molecular magnets point in the
same direction.
• The molecular magnets points in different directions in an
unmagnetised magnetic material.
• This explains why when a magnet is broken into pieces; each
piece retains magnetism with north and south poles.
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Dipoles in domain Arrangements (unmagnetised)
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Magnetized Arrangement
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SUMMARY
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NB: during magnetic process, the dipoles are
aligned; made to face in common direction.
Magnetic saturation: a state where all
domains are aligned in one direction. At this
point magnetism is maximum.
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Magnetization
Magnetization is the process of making a magnet from magnetic
material. During this process, dipoles get aligned. In a partially
magnetized material most but not all domains are aligned in one
direction.
When a material is fully magnetized all the domains are aligned in one
direction. At this state the material is said to be magnetically saturated.
There are four common methods of magnetization; these are:
i) Induction ii) Stroking iii) Hammering in north-south direction
iv) Electrical method using direct current.
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1. Electrical method
•This method uses the magnetic effects of electric
current in aligning the dipoles in a magnetic material.
Direct current (dc) is used.
The magnetic material to be magnetized is placed
inside the solenoid connected in series with the
battery. The switch is closed and current is passed
through the solenoid for some time.
The polarities of the magnet depend on the direction
of the electric current.
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Magnetizing by electrical
method
The polarity of A and B can be determined using two rules:
a)Clock rule.
b)The right hand grip rule.
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Clock rule.
If on viewing the solenoid from one end of the bar, the current flows
in clockwiSe direction, that the polarity of that end is south. If
aNticlockwise then North pole.
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The right hand grip rule.
• The poles of the magnet can be identified using the right hand grip
rule for current carrying coil which states that: If a coil carrying a
current is grasped in the right hand such that the fingers point in the
direction of current in the coil, then the thumb points in the direction
of North Pole.
Notes:
i. Allowing the current to flow for a long time does not increase the
extent of magnetic saturation. It only causes overheating of the
solenoid which adversely affects magnetism.
ii. A solenoid is a coil with many turns of insulated copper wire.
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The right- hand grip rule.
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Exercise
1. In an experiment to magnetized two substance X and Y using
current two curves wave obtained as shown below. Explain the
difference between X and Y
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Exercise
• The graph in the figure below show the relationship between the
attractive force of an electromagnetic and the magnetizing current
• Explain the shape of the curve at point AB using the domain theory.
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2. Hammering (mechanical method)
• This method makes the use of the earth’s magnetic field. A steel bar
to be magnetized is placed in the north-south position and the upper
end is hammered.
• The end pointing northward becomes a north pole and the one
pointing southward the South Pole.
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3. Induction
This is the method of making temporary magnets. In this method, a
magnet induces magnetism in a magnetic material in contact with it.
The end of the material in contact with the magnet attains a polarity
opposite to the pole of the magnet.
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4. Stroking method
• In this method a magnetic material bar is repeatedly stroked using
one end of a strong magnet. Stroking aligns domains and therefore
the magnetic material becomes a magnet. There are two types of
stoking:
a) Single stroke
b) Double stroke.
a) Single stroke method
• In this method the magnetic material is stroked with one pole of the
magnet from one end to another, lifting it away as shown. The
stroking is repeated several times while keeping the inclination of the
magnet the same.
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Single stroke method (cont’d)
The dipoles align themselves in the axis of the magnetizing force.
The end of the magnetic material bar where the magnet finishes
stroking acquires an opposite polarity to that of the stroking magnet
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Disadvantages of single stroke method
• It produces magnets in which one pole is nearer the end of the
magnetized material than the other.
• N/B This disadvantage can be avoided by use of double stroke
method.
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b) Double stroke method
• In this method, the magnetic material bar is stroked from the centre
repeatedly in opposite directions, using opposite polarities of two bar
magnets as shown in (a) below or like poles as in (b) below
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Exercise
1. a) With the aid of a diagram explain how you would magnetized a
steel bar so as to obtain a south pole at marked end of the bar by
ii) Using a permanent magnet
ii) Using an electric current
b) Which of the above method produce stronger magnet?
Give a reason.
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Demagnetization
This is the process by which a magnet losses magnetism.
In this process domains reverse their direction and get misaligned
(disoriented)
A magnet can undergo self-demagnetization if poorly stored or the
process can be influenced externally by giving the dipoles enough
energy to overcome the forces holding them in a particular direction.
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Demagnetization (contd)
• Demagnetization can be hastened by any of the following methods;
i. Heating
ii. Hammering in east-west position
iii. Dropping on a hard surface
iv. Electrical method using alternating current.
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Demagnetization (contd)
1. Hammering
• Hammering a magnet placed in the east- west direction or dropping it
evidently on the hard surface floor several times makes it lose most of
the magnetism.
2. Heating
• Heating a magnet until red hot and cooling it suddenly when resting in
the east- west direction makes it lose its magnetism.
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3. Electrical method
• Placing a magnet in a solenoid placed in east-west direction and
passing an alternating current demagnetizes it.
• This is because alternating current reverses many times per second,
disorienting the magnetic dipoles.
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Hard and soft magnetic material
A. Soft magnetic materials
• These are those magnetic materials magnetized easily but do not
retain their magnetism for long. Examples: iron, alloy of iron and
nickel.
Applications of soft magnetic materials
I. Making electromagnets
II. Making transformer cores
III. Used for magnetic shielding
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B. Hard magnetic materials
• These are magnetic materials that are difficult to
magnetize but once magnetized they retain their
magnetism for a long time.
Example – steel.
Application of hard magnetic materials:
Used in making permanent magnets
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Storing magnets
• Bar magnets are stored in pairs with soft iron keepers placed across
their ends to prevent self-demagnetization. Unlike poles of the
magnets are placed close to each other.
The magnets magnetize soft iron keepers through induction. The aligned
dipoles form a closed loop or chain round the magnets and the keepers,
with no free poles
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Uses of magnets
1. Used in hospitals for removing pieces of iron from the eyes of
patients.
2. Used to industries as stirrers, lifting iron scrap metals.
3. Weather stations for resetting six’s minimum and maximum
thermometer.
4. Navigation for showing direction as in compass needles
5. Magnetic tapes used in audio and video recorders.
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Revision Questions on
magnetism.
1. Why is soft iron used as magnet keeper?
2. Describe how you would shield a magnetic material from a
magnetic field. State one application of magnetic shielding
3. Use the domain theory to explain a difference between magnetic
and non- magnetic materials.
4. A coil of insulated wire is wound around a u-shaped soft iron care XY
and connected to a battery as shown in the figure below.
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Revision Questions (contd)
• State the polarities of ends X and Y.
5. With the aid of a diagram explain how bar magnets are stored so as to
minimize self demagnetization
6. Describe a simple experiment to show the existence of magnetic poles
7. Name two properties of a magnet
8. What are ferromagnetic materials?
9. Using the domain theory of magnetism, explain why
i) The stray of a magnet cannot be measured beyond a certain point.
ii) The temperature increase weaker or destroy the magnetism of a
magnet.
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Revision Questions (contd)
10. The graphs below are for two magnetic materials.
• Which material is easier to magnetize?
• Which material forms a stronger magnet?
• State one application of each.
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Revision Questions (contd)
11. Two similar razor blades are placed one on a wooden block and the
other on a soft iron block as shown below.
It was observed that the razor blade on the wooden block was attracted to
the magnet while the other on the soft iron was not. Explain.
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