The Power of Magnets

The Power of Magnets

Invisible Magnetism A magnet is a special metal that attracts other metals. Look around your home and try to find one. Did you know that there may be hundreds of magnets in your home? You can't see most of them. But they're inside your telephone, blender, and hair dryer. Computers are full of magnets. And most of the electricity that runs these things comes from magnetism.

Magnetism is a force that's invisible. This force only pulls on some metals, such as iron. A magnet will not pull on copper-or on wood, either.

Magnetism flows through a magnet. It goes in one end and out the other. These two ends are the north and south poles. The force flows out the north pole and back in the south pole.

You can use two magnets to feel magnetism. The north pole of one magnet will attract the south pole of the other one. Now, try to push the two north poles together. It isn't easy! Two north poles will always repel each other. So will two south poles.

Magnets Everywhere Magnets have many modern uses. One credit card can have millions of magnets. These magnets are tiny-no bigger than grains of powder. Each tiny magnet points in its own direction. The different directions of the magnets make a code. Computers read the code. Putting a credit card near a powerful magnet can mess up or erase the code.