Magnet is a piece of iron or steel that can attract iron and that points north and south when it is hung up. Magnet has two poles at which the attractive force seems greatest. The poles are called north and south poles, it was named this way because under the influence of the earth's magnetism, a bar-shaped magnet free to rotate will turn so that one pole points northward and the other southward. When a magnet is cut into two or more pieces, each piece becomes a new magnet.

When the N poles of two magnets are brought together, the magnets will be repelled, they will move away from each other. The same thing will happen when the S poles are brought together. When the N pole of one magnet is brought near the S pole of another the two magnets will strongly attract each other and will move toward each other. Magnets do not have to come into contact to repel or attract each other because magnetism acts at a distance. The area in which the effect of a magnet can be detected is called its magnetic field. The field is strongest near the magnet; it weakens as the distance from the magnet increases. Magnetic induction is a process wherein an object made from magnetic materials like iron, steel, cobalt and other materials will itself become a magnet.

Two Basic Kinds of Magnets:

Permanent magnet retains its magnetic properties for a long time. Magnetic materials from which permanent magnets are made are called hard magnetic materials. Lodestone is a naturally occurring permanent magnet composed of magnetite, an iron-bearing mineral. Today all magnets that are used commercially are made from synthetic magnetic materials like; alnicos-iron alloys containing aluminum, nickel, and cobalt. Magnetic materials containing such rare-earth elements as samarium or neodymium form very strong permanent magnets. Ferrites which consist of ferric oxide (an oxide of iron) combined with the oxides of one or more other metals are widely used in electronic devices. Flexible magnets are made by combining magnetic materials with plastics. Permanent magnets are typically made into U-shaped horseshoe magnets, with the poles side by side and bar magnets, with the poles at opposite ends.

Temporary magnet acts as magnet only as long as it is in the magnetic field produced by a permanent magnet or an electric current. Magnetic materials from which temporary magnets are made are called soft magnetic materials. Every object that is lifted or moved by a magnet acts as a temporary magnet. Those objects will eventually lose its magnetism once the permanent magnet is removed, although in certain cases it will remain weak magnetic properties. An electromagnet is a temporary magnet that is magnetized by the magnetic field produced by an electric current in a wire. Electromagnets have magnetic properties only while the current is flowing.

Four common ways to magnetize a magnetic substance:

1. Bringing the substance near a magnet.
2. Using electric current
3. Stroking the substance with a magnet - permanent magnet can be made by stroking a magnetic substance with either the N or the S pole of a magnet.
4. Striking a blow to the substance while it is in a magnetic field. A piece of iron can be magnetized by holding it parallel to a compass needle and hitting the piece of iron with a hammer. The blow will overcome the resistance of the domains movement, and they will line up parallel to the earth's field.

Temporary magnet acts as magnet only as long as it is in the magnetic field produced by a permanent magnet or an electric current. Magnetic materials from which temporary magnets are made are called soft magnetic materials. Every object that is lifted or moved by a magnet acts as a temporary magnet. Those objects will eventually lose its magnetism once the permanent magnet is removed, although in certain cases it will remain weak magnetic properties. An electromagnet is a temporary magnet that is magnetized by the magnetic field produced by an electric current in a wire. Electromagnets have magnetic properties only while the current is flowing.

Four common ways to magnetize a magnetic substance:

1. Bringing the substance near a magnet.
2. Using electric current
3. Stroking the substance with a magnet - permanent magnet can be made by stroking a magnetic substance with either the N or the S pole of a magnet.
4. Striking a blow to the substance while it is in a magnetic field. A piece of iron can be magnetized by holding it parallel to a compass needle and hitting the piece of iron with a hammer. The blow will overcome the resistance of the domains movement, and they will line up parallel to the earth's field.