How much do you know about magnets? If you’re not sure how many poles a magnet has then maybe it’s time to expand your knowledge with 7 of our most fun and strangest facts about magnets and impress your friends and family with your facts and expert knowledge.
1. Earth is a magnet
Our planet can be described as a huge bar magnet. Earth has a magnetic north and magnetic south, that invisible magnetic field lines run from the north to the south. This is what a needle on a compass will point towards.
These magnetic north and souths are geographically different from the North and South poles.
2. Magnets will always have two poles
Magnets will always have two poles, magnetic north and magnetic south.
Even if you cut them in half, the remaining pieces will still have a north and south.
3. Metal can become a magnet
Stronger rare earth magnets can actually turn certain metals into magnets. Strong Neodymium magnets will be able to make ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, become magnetized.
For example, a neodymium magnet can be rubbed against a screwdriver, making it magnetic allowing it to pick up and hold certain magnetic objects.
4. The most powerful magnet in the universe
Did you know that the most powerful magnet in the universe, is a star?
Well now you do, it’s a magnetar! These are stars that have died and had a supernova explosion leaving behind what is known as a magnetar, these stars are actually strong enough to destroy small planets if they get close enough.
A magnetar’s field is about 1,000 times stronger than a normal neutron star and about a trillion times stronger than the Earth’s.
5. MRIs are stronger than Earth
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a scan that uses magnetic fields and radio waves o produce detailed images of the inside of the human body.
MRI machines use extremely strong magnets and in fact, they generate stronger fields up to 60,000 times stronger than the Earth’s.
6. Animals can be affected by magnets
Magnets have previously been used to study bee communication patterns, migratory cycles and several other animal behaviours.
This is because many animals can actually sense magnetic fields birds, bees, whales, sharks, and turtles all use the Earth’s magnetic field to guide their behaviour.
7. Magnets are ancient
A long time before today’s man-made magnets ancient civilisations used lodestones, a naturally magnetised piece of the mineral magnetite.
Lodestones are naturally occurring magnets, which can attract iron. The property of magnetism was first discovered in antiquity through lodestones.
