It is always fun to play with magnets. But ever thought what makes them so interesting and how do they get attracted to metals? The magnet is a material that produces the magnetic field which is responsible for the attraction or repulsion of other materials like iron or other magnets. Magnets find applications in consumer as well as in industry in various forms. Following are the list of practical uses of magnets.
- Computer and electronics: Computer storage disks have a coating of iron materials that are used to store the tiny magnetic fields in a certain pattern. Computer screens too have magnets in use. Televisions have magnets in the form of electromagnets. The cathode ray tubes are having electron gun that shoots a stream of electrons towards the screen such that they travel in a straight line, striking the screen at a central spot.
- Health and medicine: Medical equipment like magnetic resonance imaging machine uses magnets. They have very powerful magnetic fields so that radar-like radio signal is produced to get the inside image of the body. They are thousands of times stronger than the common kitchen magnets. Using MRIs one can get details images of bones, organs and other tissues.
- As a compass: The needle used in the compass uses the magnet to direct it towards the north pole. This is the reason why magnets are said to have north and south poles.
- Vending machines: Vending machines are used to separate and sort the coins. They are used to separate the metal disks from the real coin money. It is used to find out magnetic dust present in the ink that is used in the printing of paper money.
- Electric motors: Electric motors and generators are made to work using magnets. By moving the metal wire near a magnet to produce electricity. The wires are made to spin through the magnetic field using steam, flowing water or other sources of energy.
There are various other uses of magnets. You can also learn about other topics like semiconductor examples, the equation of motion, the law of conservation, etc with BYJU’S.