MAGNETS

Magnets are a useful objects. They are not only for holding notes and pictures to fridges. Magnets produce magnetic fields. Magnets are found in telephones, stereos, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, televisions and more.

The first primitive testimonies on magnetite came from Peter Peregrinus in 1269. Later William Gilbert did more research.

The rule of magnetism- "Like poles repel. Unlike poles attract."

It is believed that the earths magnet power comes from a current in the liquid center of the Earth causing it to become a gigantic electromagnet!

Here are some fun facts about magnets:

• -the earths magnetic field is like a bar magnet at the center

• -usually made of iron or steel-iron, nickel, cobalt

• -can be any shape

• -a magnets pull is strongest at two points-north and south poles

• -the first magnets were stones called Iodestones. The word lode means lead. The stone magnetized compass needles and helped bring sailors home.

• -the earth is a giant magnet

• -earth magnets are poweful and made from rare elements

• -some vets use magnets to retrieve wire and metal from animals stomachs

• -magnetic attracts only magnetic objects

• -magnetic forces at at distance

• -there are different types of magnets: permanent/hard, temporary/soft, electromagnets

• -the compass was used hundreds of years ago by chinese sailors

• -superconductors are the strongest magnets-made from coils of wire

• -magnet is made up of crystals

So you may wonder how magnets were discovered. Well there are legends that tell of a sheperd named Magnes some 4,000 year ago got his foot stuck to a rock because of the nails in his shoes. They called the rock magnetite. The legend and folklore grew about magnetite and it was thought to have magical powers. It was thought to heal and frighten evil spirits. It was also thought to attract and dissolve ships made of iron! It was discovered that it attracted objects made of iron. When it was discovered that it always pointed in a north-south direction it became a primitive compass and they called it a "leading stone."

Magnetite is a magnetic molecular structure found in the earth on the oceans floor. It is anywhere from 2 to 55 million years old! Earth magnets can be 20 times more powerful than a fridge magnet! These types of magnets have led to deaths and injuries in children from toys. The children eat them!

These are some fun facts about magnets. It seems the earth is one big magnet in itself which is odd. Magnets are definitely useful in our world as long as they are not ingested!