Question

How to demagnetize a magnet?

Answer 1

Hint: A magnet is a type of a material which has the ability to create its own magnetic field around itself and any other magnetic particle will experience a force or attraction or repulsion in this magnetic field depending upon its pole. A non-magnetic substance can be magnetized and a magnetic substance can be demagnetized. We shall see the latter one in detail and answer our question.

Complete step by step answer:
Demagnetization is a process which randomizes the orientation of magnetic dipoles, which results in the magnet losing its magnetic properties. There are various methods by which a magnet can be demagnetized. These are:
(a)By heating: Upon heating a magnet past its Curie temperature, a magnet can be demagnetized. Here, Curie temperature is defined as the temperature up to which a magnetic substance retains its magnetic properties.
(b)By hammering: the magnetic dipoles can be dis-oriented by imparting great energy to them by hammering and therefore, demagnetizing a magnet.
(c)By magnetizing in the opposite direction: A magnet can be kept inside a solenoid, whose magnetic field is in the direction opposite to the direction of magnetic field of the magnet. After some time, the magnet will be completely demagnetized.
(d)Over time: A magnet loses its magnetic properties over time. This is due to the field energy loss of a magnet.
Hence, a magnet can be demagnetized by heating, hammering, magnetizing in the opposite direction and over time due to loss of energy.

Note: Natural magnets have a fixed magnetic strength and it is very hard to increase the magnetic strength of a natural magnet. So we use electro-magnets. These are artificial magnets which are made by magnetizing a non-magnetic material by the method of passing electricity through them. The strength of these magnets can be increased to a greater value by just passing large current through them.