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Answers to Readers' Questions on Physical Science:

Magnetism

The following 215 comments and questions have been sent in. They are listed according to date.

List of first 10 items

• Want to create a monopole magnet
• Trying to learn about magnetism
• How to demagnetized magnet?
• Making a presentation on magnetism
• Making superconductivity at room temperature
• Giving presentation on magnets and electromagnets
• Pushing like magnetic poles together
• Difference between magnetic and geographic poles
• What materials block magnetic force?
• What are interesting in iron filings?

Next 10

Want to create a monopole magnet

Question

October 11, 2009

i would like to know if you could make a monopole magnet into a round circle?

julian - USA

18481

Answer

If you connect the north end of a magnet to the south end, such as in making a round magnet, you do not create a monopole magnet, where there is only one magnetic pole. Instead, you simply make a weakened magnet.

It is impossible to create a monopole magnet.

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Trying to learn about magnetism

Question

September 30, 2009

Hi my name is nicole
i am 12 years old and i am in year 8 at school.
we are doing all about magnetism but i honestly do not have any idea about the topic whatsoever
if you have any tips or facts which can help me please write back thank you
Nicole
xxxxx

Nicole - United Kingdom

18410

Answer

The best way to learn about magnetism is to play around with magnets. You can also go through our lessons on magnetism.

See if you can get some magnets to study. There probably are some magnets around the house, sticking things to metal. Toy stores often sell inexpensive magnets. If you have a compass, you can use it to detect a magnetic field.

Once you start trying things with a magnet and a compass, you can understand things much better. It also can be fun.

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How to demagnetized magnet?

Question

September 16, 2009

How to demagnetized magnet?

Jowen - Philippines

18320

Answer

Often hitting a magnetized material with a hammer will demagnetize it. A better way to demagnetize a magnet is to heat it. This disorients the atoms and reduces or eliminates the magnetic effect.

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Making a presentation on magnetism

Question

August 10, 2009

How can you present a presentation on magnetism?

Babalwa - South Africa

18139

Answer

The best way to give a good presentation is to get hold of some magnets to use as a demonstration. Quite often the school has some magnets available or they can be purchased in a toy store.

Start your presentation by telling your goal of showing some of the properties of magnets. You can show how a magnet will attract a piece of iron, such as a nail, but it will not attract a piece of aluminum. You can show how two magnets will attract or repel each other. Finally, you can show how you can detect a magnet with a compass.

I hope this helps you in a successful presentation

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Making superconductivity at room temperature

Question

July 4, 2009

very nice this question, i have one question . how can make the suppercontuctive in room tempreture?

Nallamuthu - India

17976

Answer

The best that has been done so far is to make a superconductive material at several degrees warmer than liquid nitrogen. The is still an extremely cold temperature, but it allows for some practical applications.

Whoever discovers a method to have superconductivity at room temperature will become a rich and famous person, since it would allow for inexpensive energy.

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Giving presentation on magnets and electromagnets

Question

March 26, 2009

hey !

on 15 April I am having a presentation on the topic of magnets and electromagnets.I am a student of class 7 in the metropolitan academy can you help me provide all the information on this topic .please please please answer me.

samiya - Pakistan

17512

Answer

Your presentation should be on some specific aspect of magnetism, as opposed to trying to tell everything about the subject.

One good topic is on the everyday uses for magnets and electromagnets. You would be surprised how many devices that you can find that use them and how they are used.

See: http://www.school-for-champions.com/science/electromagnetic_devices.htm for some ideas.

Also, look through the lessons on magnetism and electromagnetism.

Best wishes in your presentation.

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Pushing like magnetic poles together

Question

September 11, 2008

HI,MY NAME IS PRADEEP I have a doubt that is, magnets repel when we make equal poles bring together even we use enormus energy they dont come together mean while they repel here we can know that a pull or push reaction done by these magnets so a grate energy comes in middle of that magnets we know that energy contains electrons where they are used to generate power so can we generate power through this energy.Please answer to my qustion asw soon as possible.

psrn - India

16479

Answer

The force of repulsion of magnets of like poles increases proportional to 1/R^2, which is 1 divided by R squared, where R is the distance apart. That means that when the distance apart, R, is very small, the force become very large.

Some of the energy used in pushing the magnets together is lost as heat. Thus, it cannot be effectively used to generate power.

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Difference between magnetic and geographic poles

Question

September 4, 2008

what is the difference between a magnetic north/south pole and a geographic north/south pole?

September - SA

16454

Answer

The magnetic north pole--where the magnetic lines of force are concentrated--is about 815 km from the geographic north pole. That means a compass doesn't point to true north. But it is close enough. The position of the pole slowly moves from year to year. The same is true of the south magnetic pole.

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What materials block magnetic force?

Question

June 13, 2008

hi!
I am doing some homework for science and my teacher has asked me to do many things for this porject but one question has puzzeled me? i need to know or find out what materials block magnetic force but i have searched and searched but i can't find any. could you help me
yours faithfully
Liam

Liam - England

16087

Answer

It may be a trick question. A sheet if iron can block some of the magnetic force until it becomes magnetized itself. Then it acts as a magnet and does not stop the field. Other materials let magnetic fields pass right through them. The field also goes around materials.

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What are interesting in iron filings?

Question

May 7, 2008

what are interesting in iron filings

habibul - Singapore

15893

Answer

If you place iron filings on a sheet of paper and put a magnet under the paper, the filings will align according to the lines of the magnetic field.

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