Why can’t we call any plastic as a magnetic material? What makes magnetic materials; magnetic? What are magnetic and non-magnetic materials? Let us find out!
Introduction
Materials can be classified based on the response towards a magnet. Let us perform an activity to find how different materials respond towards a magnet.
Activity I
Collect different materials from your surroundings like Iron nail, brass screw, aluminium foil, plastic comb, coin, sewing needle, copper wire, aluminium foil, glass marble, eraser, stainless steel spoon, plastic ruler, pencil etc. Now bring a magnet close to the objects.
Observation: We will observe that some materials like Iron nail, Sewing needle, and coin are attracted towards a magnet while the other substances like a brass screw, Aluminium foil, plastic comb etc do not get attracted towards a magnet.
1. Magnetic Materials
Those materials which are attracted b a magnet are magnetic materials. Iron, Nickel, and Cobalt are the magnetic substances as objects made up of these materials are attracted by a magnet. Also, magnetic materials can be magnetized or we can say that magnetic materials can be converted into magnets.
2. Non-Magnetic Materials
Those materials which are not attracted by a magnet are called non- magnetic materials. All the substances other than iron, nickel, and Cobalt are non-magnetic substances for example plastic, rubber, water, etc are nonmagnetic materials. Non-magnetic substances cannot be magnetized.
Application of Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Materials
We can use magnetic and non-magnetic properties of a suA Greek shepherd named Magnes discovered magnets 4,000 years ago in Magnesia, Greece. The name magnetite has been derived from Magnesia or Magnes. Magnets are named after Magnetite.Magnets attract magnetic materials. Natural rocks that have the property of attracting iron are called naturals magnets.These natural magnets have the magnetic property of attracting materials like iron.
Activity -1
Let us walk in the footsteps of Magnes . Only, this time, we will change the positions of the magnet and the iron. There will be a magnet at the end of our shepherd's stick. We can attach a small magnet to a hockey stick, walking stick or a cricket wicket with a tape or some glue. Let us now go out on a "Magnes walk" through the school playground. What does our "Magnes stick" pick up from the school ground? What about objects in the classroom?
Collect various objects of day-to-day use from your surroundings. Test these with the "Magnes stick". You can also take a magnet, touch these objects with it and observe which objects stick to the magnet. Prepare a table in your notebook as shown in Table.1. and record your observations.
Look at the last column of Table.1 and note the objects that are attracted by a magnet. Now, make a list of materials from which these objects are made. Is there any material common in all the objects that were attracted by the magnet?
We understand that magnet attracts certain materials where as some do not get attracted towards magnet.
The materials which get attracted towards a magnet are magnetic – for example, iron, nickel or cobalt. The materials which are not attracted towards a magnet are non-magnetic materials. Examples of non-magnetic materials include rubber, coins, feather and leather.
Is soil a magnetic or a non-magnetic material?stance in the daily life for ease of working. some of them are –