Abstract
Magnetic fields are generated in space around electric currents. And, like negative and positive electric charges, magnetic fields have two poles: north-and south-seeking. At the atomic level, electric current is generated by electrons and protons (electrically charged particles) as they spin. As each particle spins, a small magnetic field is generated whose effect is cancelled out on the super-atomic scale because in most materials these particles spin in random orientations. In magnetized materials, however, electron spins are organized and aligned to reinforce each other resulting in an observable magnetic field. Some materials, noticeably iron and its alloys, are more prone to magnetic effects than others.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Hawley’s Condensed Chemical Dictionary,11th Edition; Sax, N. Irving and Lewis, Richard J., Sr.; Van Nostrand Reinhold: New York, 1987
Macmillan Encyclopedia of Physics; Ryder, J.S., ed.; Simon & Shuster Macmillan, 1996
Materials Handbook,14th Edition; Brady, George S., Clauser, Henry R. and Vaccari, John A.; McGraw-Hill: New York, 1997
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Fox, M.A. (1999). Magnetized Materials. In: Glossary for the Worldwide Transportation of Dangerous Goods and Hazardous Materials. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-11890-0_44
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-11890-0_44
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-662-11892-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-11890-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive