Made With Magnets!

You may have used a magnet to stick a drawing to your refrigerator. But did you know that magnets are found in toys, computers, and dozens of other objects in your home too? 

“Magnetism is everywhere!” says Carlos Villa. He works at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab) in Tallahassee, Florida. The facility is home to thousands of strong magnets. Its largest magnet weighs 35 tons. It’s 1,500 times stronger than the magnets on your refrigerator!

Experts at MagLab teach the public about magnets. Scientists also travel there to use magnets in experiments. What they learn can reveal the properties of different materials and lead to life-changing technologies. 

You may have used a magnet to stick a drawing to your refrigerator. But did you know that there are other magnets in your home? They can be found in toys, computers, and dozens of other objects.

“Magnetism is everywhere!” says Carlos Villa. He works at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (MagLab). It’s in Tallahassee, Florida. The lab is home to thousands of strong magnets. Its largest magnet weighs 35 tons. It’s 1,500 times stronger than the magnets on your fridge!

Experts at MagLab teach people about magnets. Scientists also travel there to use magnets. Their tests can show the properties of different materials. And they can lead to new technologies. 

How do magnets work? A magnet is surrounded by an area called a magnetic field. In this space, a magnet exerts an invisible force called magnetism. That force allows magnets to push or pull certain objects without touching them. 

Magnets can attract or repel materials that have magnetic properties—such as the metals iron, nickel, and cobalt. Most magnets don’t affect materials with weak magnetic properties, like plastic, wood, and cotton. 

Materials with magnetic properties can be magnetized, or made into a magnet. Some types of magnets, called permanent magnets, stay magnetized forever. Other objects have a magnetic field only when electricity flows through them. These magnets are called electromagnets.

All magnets have a north pole and a south pole. Opposite poles attract each other, while similar poles push each other away. You may have felt this push or pull if you’ve ever held two magnets together!

How do magnets work? A magnet is surrounded by a magnetic field. This area contains an invisible force a magnet gives off. This force is called magnetism. It allows magnets to push or pull certain objects. And that’s without touching them. 

Magnets can attract or repel certain materials. They have magnetic properties. These materials include the metals iron, nickel, and cobalt. Most magnets don’t affect materials like plastic, wood, and cotton. 

Materials with magnetic properties can be magnetized. That means they can be made into a magnet. Some types of magnets are permanent. They stay magnetized forever. Other objects only have a magnetic field sometimes. That’s when electricity flows through them. They are called electromagnets.

All magnets have a north pole and a south pole. Opposite poles attract each other. Similar poles push each other away. Hold two magnets together. You’ll feel this push or pull!