Magnetic Energy Definition: We explain what magnetic energy is, its history, advantages, disadvantages, and other characteristics. We also explain how it works and provide examples.
What is magnetic energy?
Magnetism is a phenomenon associated with the electromagnetic force, one of the elemental forces of the universe. It affects all existing materials to a greater or lesser extent, but its effects can be seen primarily in certain metals, such as nickel, iron, cobalt, and their various alloys (known as magnets).
This force manifests itself in the form of magnetic fields, capable of generating attraction or repulsion between interacting elements, depending on their magnetic polarities: like poles repel, opposite poles attract. Must Read About Mechanical Energy Once.
Magnetic energy can be understood as the ability of the magnetic force to perform mechanical work, but we also refer to it when we talk about the energy stored in a conductive element or a magnetic field. This energy is capable of radiating through space, even in the absence of a physical medium, through what is known as electromagnetic radiation.
Magnetic fields are formed by magnetic radiation. Visible light, for example, is made up of electromagnetic fields and occupies only a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Depending on the properties of the waves that make up this spectrum, we will have visible light, ultraviolet radiation, or infrared radiation, for example.
Magnetism, moreover, is a phenomenon with countless applications exploited by contemporary humanity, especially at its intersections with electricity, such as in motors, superconductors, alternators, etc. Must Read About Snow White Movie Once.
History of Magnetic Energy
Magnetic energy was discovered by humans in ancient times. It is said that magnetic phenomena were first observed in Ancient Greece, in the city of Magnesia on the Maeander, where the mineral magnetite was particularly abundant. This is precisely where its name comes from.
The first scholar of magnetism was the Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus (625-545 BC). However, it was also studied in parallel in Ancient China, as evidenced by a mention of it in the Book of the Master of the Devil’s Valley from the 4th century BC.
Magnetism was widely studied in subsequent centuries, by alchemists, naturalists, and religious figures, as well as by explorers and philosophers, especially after the invention of the compass in the 13th century. Furthermore, the Earth’s magnetic field was discovered in Greenland in 1551.
However, it was not until the 19th century that the fundamentals of magnetism were scientifically revealed, thanks to advances in physics, chemistry, and electricity. Hans Christian Orsted, André-Marie Ampère, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Michael Faraday, and especially James Clerk Maxwell, with his famous equations, played an indispensable role in this. Must Read About Solstice Once.
How does magnetic energy work?
Magnetism is produced by the movement of electric charges in interacting objects: if the charges present in two objects (for example, two current-carrying wires) move in the same direction, the objects experience an attractive force; but if they move in opposite directions, this force is repulsive.
Around moving charges, there will always be a magnetic field, generated precisely by the movement of those charges. If other moving charges approach this magnetic field, they will interact with it. It is essential that charges be in motion for fields, forces, or magnetic energy to exist. Charges at rest (stationary) do not produce magnetic fields or magnetic phenomena. Magnets have their own magnetic field due to the movement and particular orientation of electrons within atoms.
Magnetic energy can be produced by electromagnets, which consist of a coiled electrical wire coated with a magnetic material, such as iron. It can also be produced by the magnetization of susceptible materials, whether temporary (those in which the magnetic field is external and, therefore, weakens and disappears) or permanent.
Characteristics of Magnetic Energy
Magnetic energy has a variable intensity, depending on the materials that produce it or the intensity of the electric current that generates it. Due to the direction of electron movement, magnetic materials always have two poles: positive and negative. This is known as a magnetic dipole.
Although everything in existence is susceptible to a certain degree of magnetic response (called magnetic susceptibility), depending on their degree of susceptibility, we can speak of:
- Ferromagnetic materials: These are strongly magnetic.
- Diamagnetic materials: These are weakly magnetic.
- Non-magnetic materials: These have negligible magnetic properties.
Advantages of Magnetic Energy
Magnetic energy is extremely advantageous in the contemporary world, as its storage and production have crucial applications for human life, for example, in transportation, medicine, and the power generation industry.
Many magnetic materials help make our lives easier, from the magnets we stick on our refrigerators, to the magnetic materials inside our computers and the alternator in our cars, to transformers and a whole series of power modulators that use magnets to manage electricity.
On the other hand, experiences with this type of energy and its applications in modern initiatives are becoming more promising every day. They could bring us closer to clean energy sources in the near future.
Disadvantages of Magnetic Energy
The downside of harnessing magnetism is that naturally magnetic materials lack the magnetic field strength necessary to move massive objects or to transmit their energy indefinitely to other systems. Therefore, the usual way to use magnetism is through the use of an electromagnet, which requires a constant input of electrical energy.
Examples of Magnetic Energy
Some examples of magnetic energy:
- The compass: Its metal needle aligns with the Earth’s magnetic field to constantly point north.
- Electrical transformers: These are enormous cylindrical boxes usually found on utility poles and which operate internally through the force of several magnets, modulating the flow of electrical current and making it usable in our homes.
- Magnetic tomographs: These are medical devices used to send and receive electromagnetic waves through the body, allowing us to get an idea of how things are inside without having to undergo surgery.
- Maglev trains: These are in operation in many developing countries and are able to hover due to the repulsive pull of electromagnets at their bases.
- The northern lights: Although indirect, they are evidence of the power of the Earth’s magnetic field, capable of repelling the solar wind (solar plasma particles ejected into space). The lights that can be seen near the poles are these particles skimming the atmosphere and traveling in the direction of the magnetic field without penetrating the planet.
References
All the information we offer is supported by authoritative and up-to-date bibliographic sources, ensuring reliable content in line with our editorial principles.
- “Magnetism” on Wikipedia.
- “What is magnetic force?” on Khan Academy.
- “Magnetic Energy” on Universe Today.
- “Magnetism (physics)” on The Encyclopaedia Britannica.
