magnetism

[triskaidekaphile]

this is my current understanding:

magnetism is created by the motion of electrons, as the electrons are moving (from one point to another, not vibration) they create these magnetic fields that rotate clockwise if you are looking at the departing electron's 'back', and this motion in a wire creates an electromagnet, and around an atom's nucleus the electrons orbit in the same direction and work together to make the magnetic field in a 'permanent' magnet when most of the magnetized atoms are aligned in the same direction.

 

these are my questions:

what is the magnetic field made out of? i' heard something about 'virtual photons' and if they are what transmits the fields then what cuases the photons to conduct this force?

can an electron make a magnetic field if it moves slower relative to us?

since the electrons speed determines if it makes a field or not then does this mean that a high speed (or low speed if the answer to my previous question is yes) atom will create a magnetic feild similar to a single electron's?

in permanent magnets at room temperature, do the electrons tend to settle into a magnetic orbit on their own or does it takes a significant force to put them into the orbits?

can the orbits be undone easily at room temp?

and what is going on with the field when it tries to interact with a superconducter?

 

i would really appreciate some answers, i have some invention ideas depending on some of the answers

 

 

[swansont]

what is the magnetic field made out of?

 

The magnetic field isn't "made of " anything. It's a calculational and conceptual convenience. We know that in the presence of a magnet, there will be an interaction at any point which depends on certain parameters. We can map that. The field represents the information.

 

can an electron make a magnetic field if it moves slower relative to us?

 

Yes. Any relative motion of an electric field gives you a magnetic field. They are related this way. The charge can be at rest and you can move, and you will see the same thing as if you are at rest and the charge moves.

 

since the electrons speed determines if it makes a field or not then does this mean that a high speed (or low speed if the answer to my previous question is yes) atom will create a magnetic feild similar to a single electron's?

 

Atoms are electrically neutral, so no. Ions or protons will, though. Anything charged.

 

 

in permanent magnets at room temperature, do the electrons tend to settle into a magnetic orbit on their own or does it takes a significant force to put them into the orbits?

can the orbits be undone easily at room temp?

 

The magnetic field in a permanent magnet comes from another source. Electrons have a property we call spin, since it's angular momentum, although it doesn't represent a physical spinning. This means electrons are like little magnets themselves. In ferromagnetic materials you have unpaired electrons in the atoms, so the effects don't cancel within the atom, and a mechanical structure — a metal lattice — that allow the atoms to line up, as long as they are cool enough that their thermal motion doesn't disrupt this alignment.

[triskaidekaphile]

first: thank you for answering. second: how do you use those quote boxes?

 

so is the concept of magnetism like gravity in newton's time? something that can be measured and predictions can be made on but the actual process or mechanics of transference is unknown?

 

do protons create magnetic forces that rotate in the opposite direction of an electron's since its the opposite charge?

 

when you say unpaired electrons do you mean there's more electrons then protons in most ferromagnetic materials?

 

 

if the answer to the previous question is yes then does that apply to materials in the earth's mantle and deeper areas? because if it does, and since the earth is on orb that rotates, then won't the slower electrons create a magnetic field and therefore account for part of the earth's

[mississippichem]

do protons create magnetic forces that rotate in the opposite direction of an electron's since its the opposite charge?

Protons and electrons are members of a class of particles called fermions. All fermions have half integer spins. So both protons and electrons can each have spins of either +1/2 or -1/2.

 

when you say unpaired electrons do you mean there's more electrons then protons in most ferromagnetic materials?

There is a set of rules that electrons must obey with respect to how they are "stacked" in atoms. Each orbital can hold 0, 1, or 2 electrons. Electrons spin pair with each other in these orbitals; two electrons of opposite spin. In some elements and compounds, one or a few of these electrons don't have a spin pair partner. So there is a net magnetic field coming from the atom or molecule.

 

In for example, a bulk piece of iron there is no net charge, in theory. The total number of protons in an iron bar magnet would equal the total number of electrons. In practice every iron atom behaves a little "electron deficient" because transition metals share electrons so easily.

[swansont]

first: thank you for answering. second: how do you use those quote boxes?

 

Use the "reply" button on the lower right of the window and/or use the "dialog bubble" icon once you're in the full editor. You can copy/paste the quote tag with the name and time+post stamps if you want to break up the responses; just close each one with

 

 

do protons create magnetic forces that rotate in the opposite direction of an electron's since its the opposite charge?

 

If a proton's and electron's spins were aligned, their magnetic moments would be in opposite directions, just like you had rotated a bar magnet through 180º.

 

when you say unpaired electrons do you mean there's more electrons then protons in most ferromagnetic materials?

 

To add to what mississippichem already said, the electrons can only have two orientations (usually called spin up and spin down), and in many materials with even numbers of electrons, each spin-up electron has a corresponding spin-down electron. But in some, you get more of one orientation than the other — the spins are unpaired.

[triskaidekaphile]

thank you for the answers that you have given, i found a book that talks a bit about the spin of electrons and such so I'll read that to learn more on the subject.

however i still have two questions, does the earth's mantle have a large amount of unpaired electrons or is it pretty well balanced?

and what is going on when a magnetic field interacts with a superconductor? I've heard that it creates an opposite field that opposes the magnet, does the magnetic field pass through the superconductor or stay on the surface area?

[swansont]

You need the unpaired electrons and also some kind of lattice to maintain the orientation for you to have a permanent magnet. Most materials in the mantle lack at least one of those attributes.

 

Superconductors repel (or cancel) the field owing to the induced current.

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