Why does magnetism happen?

[Anjruu]

I know its one of the four fundemental forces, but why does it happen? Is it inherant in the atomic structure of magnets?

[RoyLennigan]

well, electromagnetism is one of the fundamental forces. magnetism and electricity are directly related. it is inherent in the atomic structure of everything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetism

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/forces/funfor.html

[insane_alien]

its to do with atoms having more electrons having more electrons on oneside than the other. usually this is random and quikly equalizes but there are a few configurations of crystals where it practically forces them to stay more to one side. this is the extent of my knowledge on this subject and is probably woefully inaccurate.

 

electromagnets on the other hand use an electrical current moving in a loop or coil to generate the field.

[Anjruu]

Sorry, I meant natrual magnets, not electromagnets. And the electron configuration makes sense.

[CPL.Luke]

its the same concept, in a permanent magnetism the electrons have more angular momentum in one direction than the other, this creates a magnetic field. In an electromagnet the electrons are moving in one direction which creates a magnetic field.

 

In general moving electric charges make magnetic fields, thus there is no distinction between an electromagnetic field and a magnetic field.

[sanjaygeorge]

IS it due to the atomic graitation and anything??

[swansont]

IS it due to the atomic graitation[/b'] and anything??

 

I'm not familiar with that word. Perhaps you could rephrase the question?

[CanadaAotS]

I'm pretty sure he meant gravitation, but even then it's unclear

[CPL.Luke]

if he meant the gravity from an atom, then no it has nothing to do with that.

[RVonse]

Neither magnetism or gravity is understood by anyone very well. Because if we knew what these forces really were, we would see anti-gravity cars by now.

[swansont]

Neither magnetism or gravity is understood by anyone very well. Because if we knew what these forces really were, we would see anti-gravity cars by now.

 

I disagree. Perpetual motion is not possible, but the reason is not because energy is not well-understood. Even if your premise is true, the conclusion does not follow from it.

[dharvin]

just a thought but does the earths magnetosphere occur at ground level or some distance above?

[swansont]

magnetosphere info

 

more magnetosphere info

[Conceptual]

The fancy shapes of atomic orbitals, rather than them all being spherical appears to be an artifact of nuclear protons in motion and the magnetic fields that they create. One could probably reverse engineer the dynamic motion and configurations of the atomic protons from the shapes of the electron orbitials.

 

Magnetic materials, like iron, have outer electrons moving with the same angular momentum thereby creating a magnetic field in one direction. The protons of iron, which define the orbital shapes, may not be fully additive to these induced magnetic electron states even though charge is balanced. This would creates a magnetic dipole at the atomic level. This nuclear-atomic dipole would explain why magnetic iron atoms can be induced to maintain an amplied magentic potential alignment at the atomic level even when confined to the solid state of iron.

 

This proton orbital theory suggest some cool sci-fi stuff. Picture if we could create atoms with ionization states, say -5. If left long enough it could cause the protons to change nuclear orbitial states into higher proton orbital states. The result is fission.