[Influence of magnetism]

Influence of magnetism

Reaction of different materials on magnetism.

Ferromagnetic materials are the only materials strong enough to be drawn to a magnet. That is why we call them magnetic.

However, all other substances also respond weakly to a magnetic field, via one or more other types of magnetism. When we expose a material to a magnetic field, it can respond in various ways.

We distinguish between the following kinds of magnetism:

When we speak of magnetic material, we mean that the material shows ferro- or ferrimagnetic behaviour. The forces that occur with dia- and paramagnetic behaviour are much weaker. Moreover, these materials do not spontaneously produce their own magnetic field. We therefore consider them to be non-magnetic.

Diamagnetic materials tend to repel field lines from their core, while ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic and paramagnetic materials tend to concentrate them.