Magnetism and Electromagnetism

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to magnets, magnetic fields, and electromagnets.

What is a magnetic Material

A material that can be magnetized to produce a magnet.

Magnet Interaction

Magnets experience forces in the presence of other magnets; like poles repel, and unlike poles attract.

North Pole of a Magnet

The end of a magnet that points towards the Earth's geographic North Pole.

Magnetic Elements

Iron, cobalt, and nickel.

Hard Magnetic Material

Difficult to magnetize but retains its magnetism well.

Soft Magnetic Material

Easy to magnetize but loses its magnetism easily.

Magnetic Field Line Diagram

A representation of magnetic fields where the spacing indicates strength and direction indicates compass alignment.

What direction do magnetic field lines point?

The direction of magnetic field lines point from the north pole to the south pole.

Magnetic Field Strength

The smaller the spacing between magnetic field lines, the greater the strength of the magnetic field.

Right-hand grip rule

A rule to predict the direction of the magnetic field around a current-carrying wire.

Solenoid

a cylindrical coil of wire acting as a magnet when carrying electric current.

Electromagnet

A solenoid with an iron rod inside

Factors Affecting Electromagnet Strength

The size of the current, the number of turns in the coil, and the core material.