Magnetic force

Magnets stick or we can say gets attached to some metals. Iron, nickel, and alloys containing both of these elements, are called as ferromagnetic materials. When the magnet is brought near a piece of ferromagnetic material, the atoms in material become  lined up, so that the metal is magnetized temporarily. This produces a magnetic force between atoms of the ferromagnetic substance and those in magnet.

If the magnet is brought near the other magnet, the force becomes even stronger. Nor is it more powerful, but it can be attractive or repulsive, depending upon the way the magnets are turned. The force becomes stronger as the magnets are brought closer to each other.

Some magnets are so strong that no human being can pull them apart if they get stuck together, and no person can bring them all way together against their repulsive force. This is true for electromagnets. The tremendous forces available are of use in the industry. A huge electromagnet is used to carry heavy pieces of scrap iron from place to place. Other electromagnets can give sufficient repulsion to suspend 1 object above another. This is known as magnetic levitation and is the basis for some low friction, high speed trains which are being developed.