From: Daryl G 8/09/99 16:44:50 Subject: Magnets post id: 36113 What happens if you pass an electric current through a magnet.What does it do to the magnet and what properties does it have.Is it a good conductor?(mainly interested in what happens to the magnet and its field.) From: Dr Paul (Avatar) 8/09/99 17:22:30 Subject: re: Magnets post id: 36121 Hi Darryl G, many permanent magnets are based on iron compounds, so are conductive. Why they are magnets, the iron neuclei are individually magnetic and align through something called the Exchange interaction, which allows a closer approach of the nuclei than less comples inter atomic interactions. (just some properties of magnetic materials) The individual iron atoms group into regions called domains, these (in iron compounds) tend to also align, giving a reasonably good permanent magnetic nature for the bar of iron compound. So the individual; magnetic moment of the iron atoms are grouped into an overall alignment in the bar, leading to the permanent bar magnetic property. OK we have a (for example) rod if iron compound that is a bar magnet. If we put a current through it, it may play with the exchange interaction, disaligning the individual domains, reducing the overall magnetic flux intensity of the bar magnet. The current will develop an additional magnetic field which will spiral around the (assumed) length wise orientation of the bar magnet. This will create a superposition of the magnetic flux intensities, and likely work to disrupt the orientations of the magnetic domains within the barmagnet. So two effects, a possible change in the permanent magnetic flux intensity of the bar magnet and a generation of a secondary magnetic flux intensity which will be detectable as a spiral field around the metal object. IS this enough at the moment? Hope this helps. {:~)] Paul This forum is un-moderated. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individual poster and not the ABC. The ABC reserves the right to remove offensive or inappropriate messages.