Science
How does a magnet work?
A magnet works because the electrons in certain materials line up so their tiny magnetic fields add together into one strong field. That field pulls on other magnetic materials like iron and pushes or pulls other magnets, without any contact.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how a magnet works.
Step by step
- 1Every electron is a tiny magnet due to its motion and spin.
- 2In most materials these point randomly and cancel out.
- 3In a magnet, many align in the same direction.
- 4Their combined field attracts iron and interacts with other magnets.
- 5Opposite poles attract; like poles repel.
Frequently asked questions
- What makes a material magnetic?
- When the tiny magnetic fields of its electrons line up in the same direction instead of canceling out, they combine into one strong field.
- Why do opposite poles attract?
- Magnetic field lines run from north to south; opposite poles let those lines connect, pulling the magnets together, while like poles push apart.
- Can a magnet lose its magnetism?
- Yes — heating, hard impacts, or strong opposing fields can jumble the aligned electrons, weakening or destroying the magnetism.