Question

What is an electromagnet? How is it different from a permanent magnet? Describe one application of an electromagnet.

Answer 1

- Hint- Here, we will proceed by defining an electromagnet and discussing its various features. Then, we will be writing the main difference between an electromagnet and a permanent magnet. Finally, one application of an electromagnet will be discussed.

Complete step-by-step solution -

An electromagnet is a magnet that runs on electricity. The poles of an electromagnet can even be reversed by reversing the flow of electricity. An electromagnet works because an electric current produces a magnetic field. The magnetic field produced by an electric current forms circles around the electric current.
If a wire carrying an electric current is formed into a series of loops, the magnetic field can be concentrated within the loops. The magnetic field can be strengthened even more by wrapping the wire around a core. The atoms of certain materials, such as iron, nickel and cobalt, each behave like tiny magnets. Normally, the atoms in something like a lump of iron point in random directions and the individual magnetic fields tend to cancel each other out. However, the magnetic field produced by the wire wrapped around the core can force some of the atoms within the core to point in one direction. All of their little magnetic fields add together, creating a stronger magnetic field.
The main difference between permanent magnet and electromagnet is the magnetic field and the strength. In electromagnet, the magnetic field is generated by a wire-wound coil whereas the magnetic field of the permanent magnet or bar magnet cannot be changed. The strength of the permanent magnet depends on the material used for its creation whereas the strength of the electromagnet varies according to the flow of electric current into it.
Application of an electromagnet: Due to their ability to generate very powerful magnetic fields, low resistance and high efficiency, superconducting electromagnets are often found in scientific and medical equipment. These include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines in hospitals and scientific instruments such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers, mass spectrometers and also particle accelerators.

Note- Electromagnets are also widely used when it comes to musical equipment. These include loudspeakers, headphones, electric bells, and magnetic recording and data storage equipment, such as tape recorders. The multimedia and entertainment industry relies on electromagnets to create devices and components, such as VCRs and hard drives.