Uses of Magnets

Uses of Magnets

We come into contact with magnets offen in our daily life. They are used in wide range of devices. Some of the uses of magnets are given below.

* In ancient times the magnet in the form of ‘direction stone’ were used by seamen to find the directions during a voyage.

* Nowadays, magnets are used to generate electricity in dynamos.

* Electromagnets are used in our day to day life.

* They are used in electric bells and electric motors.

* They are used in loudspeakers and microphones.

* An extremely powerful electromagnet is used in the fast moving Maglev train to remain floating above the tracks.

* In industries, magnetic conveyor belts are used to sort out magnetic substances from scraps mixed with non-magnetic substances.

* Magnets are used in computer in its storing devices such as hard disks.

Maglev train (Magnet levitation train) has no wheels. It floats above its tracks due to strong magnetic forces applied by computer controlled electromagnets. It is the fastest train in the world. The speed attained by this train is around 500 km/hr.

The ­strip on the back of a credit card/debit card is a magnetic strip, often called a magstripe. The magstripe is made up of tiny iron-based magnetic particles in a thin plastic film. Each particle is really a very tiny bar magnet about 20 millionth of an inch long.

* In banks, the magnets enable the computers to read the MICR numbers printed on a cheque.

* The tip of the screw drivers are made slightly magnetic so that the screws remain attached to the tip.

* At hospitals, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is used to scan the specified internal organ. An extremely from electromagnet is used in it.