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Great question. The Earth has a magnetic field but it is not strong enough to overcome the other forces affecting pieces of iron. But if you wanted to make a super-accurate weighing scale, you would avoid iron for its hanging parts. And every steel can in your kitchen is magnetized from sitting in the Earths magnetic field. Put a compass needle close to a can of beans and see!
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoIron alone is only 1/3 of the elements that make up a magnet, so iron in itself cannot act like a magnet. Magnets are made up of Neodymium, Boron, and Iron, so iron alone cannot act like a magnet.
However, iron alone can act as a permanent magnet.
Iron, like all ferromagnetic materials, has small magnetic domains that, when aligned, make it magnetic. Normally the effect of heat and varying magnetic fields in the environment keep ferromagnetic domains scrambled so most iron or steel objects are not magnetic. Any object that is moved about will experience varying fields from the earths weak but pervasive magnetic field.
Keep in mind most iron or steel products are made by melting iron to purify it or to form steel. These temperatures completely scramble the magnetic domains insuring the final products are not magnetized.
To magnetize iron it must be held in a strong magnetic field that doesn't change direction for a sufficient time period. The stronger the field and the longer the magnetization time the more aligned the domains get which results in a stronger magnet. There is a limit to how strong a magnet can get because once the domains are perfectly aligned you can't make the magnet any stronger. However, some alloys have more easily aligned domains or more strongly magnetic domains so they make better magnets. Neodymium Iron Boron (NIB or NdFeB) magnets, also referred to as "rare earth magnets" make some of the strongest permanent magnets available But even though iron alone makes a weaker permanent magnet it can still act as a magnet on its own.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoI'm not sure I understood the question, but I think you mean why don't magnets attract all metals. Well, magnets can only attract ferromagnetic and ferrimagnetic substances. The only metals that exhibit ferromagnetism (no pure metal exhibits ferrimagnetism) are iron, nickel and cobalt. Other metals don't have these properties in standard conditions, so they aren't attracted by magnets.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoBecause not all metals can be attracted to magnet. (by previous contributor)
Some metals can be attracted to a magnet. Yes, only some, in fact only steel, iron, nickel, cobalt and other permanent magnets. These metals/materials are ferromagnetic, the type of magnetism where the metal can be attracted to a magnet. For other metals, there are other ways for it to react with magnetism. The other two commonly known magnetism are paramagnetism and diamagnetism.
Wiki User
∙ 15y agoit does just not as stong as other magnets
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoAll the metals are not attracted by a magnet as it attracts only ferromagnetic materials. example. Iron, Cobalt, Nickel, Gadolinium, Dysprosium.
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Are bar magnets stronger than horseshoe magnets?
There are some variables like what the magnet is made of and how it was initially magnetized. If a bar magnet is bent into a horseshoe shape to make a horseshoe magnet, the magnetic field will be more dense (stronger) across the gap of the horseshoe magnet than it would have been anywhere around the bar magnet from which it was made. And since magnets are strongest at their poles, horseshoe magnets can use both their poles at once while bar magnets can only use one pole at a time.
How should you usually control variables in an experiment?
act like a huge turd!
Can an amphoteric compound act like an acid and a base?
Am amphoteric substance can react as a base but also as an acid.
What is the importance of hypothesis in science?
An hypothesis is an idea, notion, conjecture, assertion or statement about reality. The activity we call science is about putting forward and testing hypotheses. For example, you could test your notion that nickel might be magnetic by putting it near a magnet. If it was clearly attracted, you could suggest that "nickel is magnetic" was not just an hypothesis but a fact. If not, you might test with an even stronger magnet, and so on. Testable hypotheses, especially those that help to explain why things act the way they do, are important because they prompt activities which can improve scientific knowledge.
What is an inquiry?
An inquiry is a thought or question that you would like to have answered.
Why doesn't a normal piece of magnet act like a magnet?
coz i dont know
What types of materials behave like iron when place in to magnetic field?
Elements that are paramagnetic can act like iron when placed in a magnetic field. This is because of the presence of unpaired electrons in their valence shell. For example, liquid oxygen can have some magnetic properties (attracted to the magnet) when poured between the poles of a magnet.
What magnets act like several combined bar magnets?
A "Neodymium magnet or Super Magnet".
Why aren't all iron materials permanent magnets?
When a magnet or iron piece is watched under a powerful microscope we will obseve that a magnet or iron is made up tiny tiny pieces which cannot be further divided realistically such small pieces are known as domains. In a magnet all domains are in the same direction due to which it attracts iron. While in a iron these domains are arranged randomly which nullify its magnetism. When a magnet is brousht near an iron matrial all the domains get attracted to the magnet due to which domains in iron get arranged in a particular direction due to wich at that time they act as magnets but as soon as the magnet gets farther the domains again arrange them selves randomly due to which tey do not remain permanent magnets
Can iron be made into a permanent magnet?
take a block of iron and then coil some wire around it, then attatch it to a power source and your iron block will act as a magnet due to the magnetic field produced by the coil. the more coils you have, the stronger the magnet and vice versa. in order to create a strong magnet you'll need to produce around 8 or 9V of electricity, so a standard 9V battery should work fine.
How do water act like little magnet?
because its connected to the oxygen
How is a solenoid similar to a magnet?
A solenoid acts like a magnet when an electrical current is sent through the coil. A permanent magnet is magnetic all the time. Therefore, they are similar when both act like a magnet, but not when the solenoid is turned off.
Why does water have a lopsided and act like a chemical magnet?
lol not giving the answer to anyone
Why does water have a lopsided shape and act like a chemical magnet?
lol not giving the answer to anyone
Why a coil of wire with a direct current passing through it will magnetise a piece of iron?
The coil would act as if a bar magnet inserted along its axis. So any iron material inserted gets magnetised.
What is called when you get iron objects to act like magnets?
Ferromagnetism
Can a magnet attract lightning?
If the magnet is made of metal then it can act as a good conductor to the Earth like any other metal. The fact that it is magnetised does not attract the lightning.
