Magnets are used not only in large sectors like the automotive and appliance industries, but in every aspect of life. They are used in everything from small household items to machines powerful enough to easily lift heavy objects. As you can imagine from their wide range of applications, there are a wide variety of different types of magnets.
Being able to distinguish between magnets is crucial. The working principle of all magnets is a north pole and a south pole, created at their center. This allows them to attract metals. This is a knowledge most of us remember from our student years; Like poles repel each other, and opposite poles attract each other.
How to Distinguish Between an Electromagnet and a Permanent Magnet?
Before explaining how to distinguish between an electromagnet and a permanent magnet, let’s briefly examine the workings of a magnet, the creation of a magnetic field, and a closer look at permanent magnets and electromagnets.
Magnetic Field;
A magnetic field is produced by moving electric charges. It is a vector field that describes the relative motion and magnetic effects of electric charges in magnetized materials. In everyday life, the effects of magnetic fields are often observed in permanent magnets, which attract magnetic materials and attract or repel other magnets. Beyond everyday life, magnetic fields are observed on a wide range of size scales, from subatomic particles to galaxies. When a charged particle moves at a constant speed without acceleration, it produces an electric current as well as a magnetic field.
Permanent Magnet;
A permanent magnet is made from carbon-rich materials. It attracts objects made from magnetized materials that create their own permanent magnetic field. These objects include iron, nickel, cobalt, and some alloys of rare earth metals. The most important feature of permanent magnets is their ability to maintain their strength for long periods of time.
Electromagnet;
An electromagnet is a soft metal coil made into a magnet by passing an electric current through a surrounding coil. The greater the amount of current flowing through the coil, the stronger the electromagnet’s magnetic force. Typically, the coil is wound around a core of “soft” ferromagnetic material, such as mild steel, which greatly increases the magnetic field produced by the coil. Electromagnets can be turned on and off.
Electromagnets are used in all types of electrical devices, including hard disk drives, speakers, motors, and generators, and in scrap yards to collect heavy scrap metal.
In summary, permanent magnets are permanent magnets and have high strength. Electromagnets, on the other hand, exhibit magnetic properties in response to electric current.