All objects are made of tiny particles called atoms which have negatively charged electrons spinning around inside them. This spinning creates a small magnetic field. In most objects, these electrons are spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out any charge (or pull) that could be made by them. In magnets, however, these electrons spin together in the same direction, increasing their charge and their pull (magnetic field). This causes little regions, known as magnetic domains, where all the atoms in each region line up together so that they are all pointing in the same direction. A way to explain why the poles of a magnet are opposite and two unlike poles attract each other & two like poles repel eachother is to think of these atoms as little arrows. In each magnetic domain, the atoms are lined up so that their "arrows" are all pointing in the same direction. In non-magnetic items, these arrows point in random directions, which cancels out their magnetic fields. In a magnet, the arrows can only point in one direction. When two magnets are placed close together with their arrows pointing towards each other (same poles facing each other), the arrows are not lining up together, so they try to get away or repel each other. But when the arrow tips of one magnet gets close to the opposite ends of the arrows of another magnet (opposite poles facing each other), the arrows are already pointing in the same direction so the magnets are attracted and automatically pull towards each other.
All objects are made of tiny particles called atoms which have negatively charged electrons spinning around inside them. This spinning creates a small magnetic field. In most objects, these electrons are spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out any charge (or pull) that could be made by them. In magnets, however, these electrons spin together in the same direction, increasing their charge and their pull (magnetic field). This causes little regions, known as magnetic domains, where all the atoms in each region line up together so that they are all pointing in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteA way to explain why the poles of a magnet are opposite and two unlike poles attract each other & two like poles repel eachother is to think of these atoms as little arrows. In each magnetic domain, the atoms are lined up so that their "arrows" are all pointing in the same direction. In non-magnetic items, these arrows point in random directions, which cancels out their magnetic fields. In a magnet, the arrows can only point in one direction. When two magnets are placed close together with their arrows pointing towards each other (same poles facing each other), the arrows are not lining up together, so they try to get away or repel each other. But when the arrow tips of one magnet gets close to the opposite ends of the arrows of another magnet (opposite poles facing each other), the arrows are already pointing in the same direction so the magnets are attracted and automatically pull towards each other.