The force of attraction or repulsion between magnetic poles
Charged object moving within an atom
Electrons (e-)
Atoms in most materials
Have paired up electrons spinning in opposite directions, cancelling out magnetic fields
Some materials
Have a single electron or pair of electrons that spin in the same direction, creating a magnetic field or a small atomic magnet
Formation of magnets
1. Atomic sized magnets line up to create domains
2. Individual domains line up to form a magnet
Magnet
Has two ends called poles (dipoles), where the magnetic force is the strongest
No matter how many times a magnet is broken, each piece always has a north pole and a south pole
There is no such thing as a monopole
Magnetic field
Exists around a magnet or any moving charged object
Allows magnets to interact without touching
Drawing magnetic field lines
1. Magnetic field lines always go from the north pole to the south pole (outside a magnet)
2. Magnetic field lines are closed loops and never cross or intersect
3. Where the magnetic field lines are closer the magnetic field is stronger
The north magnetic pole and the geographic North Pole do not coincide
A compass indicates the direction of magnetic north, not true north
Navigators must know the magnetic declination for a specific area, which is the angular difference between magnetic and true north
The details and mechanisms of how and why the Earth has a magnetic field are unclear, but may have something to do with motions in the liquid outer core
