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What Are Magnets?
A magnet, so called, got its name from a place in Greece called Magnesia. This mineral was
mined in this province as Magnetite. Hence, it derived its name 'magnet'. The Greeks called it
Magnetic, or Magnetos. The English called it Lodestone because of its property of always
pointing towards the North and thus indicating the direction. The French named it Ament or
Loving Stone while the Indians called it Chumbak, the kissing stone. The Chinese also meant
the same by calling it Chu She. These names point towards the attractive property of the
stone.
The magnetic stone found in mines is Ferric Oxide (FeO) out of which the artificial magnets
are prepared. They are prepared by three methods:
- Natural magnet is rubbed on the magnetic material, as a result of which the material is
magnetised but has a low power.
- In the electrical method of magnetisation, an insulated wire is wound round the
magnetic substance and an electrical current is passed through the coil, for different
periods of time to obtain different strengths. This process makes the magnet more
powerful.
- Scientists have devised a machine called Magnetizer, which charges the magnetic
material without using wires. It is being commonly used today to make artificial
magnets and healing magnets.
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