How are Magnets Useful?
Magnets have been proving their worth every day with their incredible function by making the most strenuous tasks easier. With the various uses of magnets in daily life, we can do heavy lifting which is not humanly possible to do every day. Magnets play an important role in various devices which can be a small toy or a heavy 100-ton device to pick up heavy metals.
| Discovery of Magnets | Rare Earth Magnets |
| Permanent Magnets and Magnetic Behaviour | Magnetic Field on Earth |
Various Applications and Uses of Magnets
- We might be using computers in our day-to-day lives but never wondered about the presence of a magnet inside it. Magnetic elements on a hard disk help to represent computer data, which is later ‘read’ by the computer to extract information.
- Magnets are used inside TVs, sound speakers and radios. The small coil of wire and a magnet inside a speaker transforms the electronic signal to sound vibrations.
- Magnets are used inside a generator to transform mechanical energy into electrical energy. In contrast, other kinds of motors use magnets to change electrical energy to mechanical energy.
- Electrically charged magnets can help cranes to move large metal pieces.
- Magnets are used in filtering machines that separate metallic ores from crushed rocks.
- It is also used in food processing industries for separating small metallic pieces from grains etc.
- Magnets are used in MRI machines which are used to create an image of the bone structure, organs, and tissues. Even magnets are used to cure cancer.
- At home, you use magnets when you stick a paper on the refrigerator in order to remember something. Attaching a magnetic bottle opener to the fridge can come in handy.
- We often use pocket a compass to find out directions when we are on a trek. The pocket compass uses a magnetic needle to point north.
- The dark strip on the back of debit and credit cards is magnetic and is used to store data like computers’ hard drives.
- Magnets can help collect all the nails which are scattered on the ground after a repair job.
These were some of the different magnet uses. Know more about magnets and other related concepts with the help of interactive and engaging video lessons by downloading BYJU’S- Learning App.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
Q1
What is a magnet?
A magnet is an object which has its atoms ordered so that the object exhibits characteristics of magnetism. It attracts other iron pieces or orients itself in an outside magnetic field.
Q2
What are electromagnets?
Electromagnets consist of a coil of wire wrapped around the metal core made from iron. When this material is exposed to an electric current, a magnetic field is generated making the material behave like a magnet. The strength of the magnetic field can be controlled by controlling the electric current.
Q3
What are magnetic field lines?
Magnetic field line or lines of forces shows the strength of a magnet and the direction of a magnet’s force. It was discovered by Michael Faraday to visualise the magnetic field.
Q4
How many types of magnets are there?
There are basically three types of magnets: permanent magnetic, temporary magnet and electromagnet.
Q5
Who discovered electromagnetism?
Hans Christian Oersted discovered electromagnetism
How are magnets used in electricity generation without any motion or rotation of any kind
Generators are made up of coils of wire that are either rotated through magnetic fields or are stationary around a shaft with rotating magnets. In either case, the coils of wire are exposed to changing magnetic fields created by the magnets.