The hottest Magnetism Substack posts right now

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4.2.1 Ancient Views

Fields & Energy • 319 implied HN points • 26 Jun 24
🔬 Science Physics History Electricity Magnetism
  1. Ancient civilizations had early insights about magnets and electricity. For example, Thales discovered static electricity from amber and believed magnets had a 'soul' because they moved metal.
  2. The compass became crucial for navigation by the sixteenth century. Mariners relied on it heavily, and misdirecting a ship was seriously punished, reflecting the compass's importance.
  3. William Gilbert made significant contributions to the understanding of magnetism and electricity. He proposed that the Earth is like a giant magnet and identified various materials that produce electric effects.

"On Action At a Distance"

Fields & Energy • 219 implied HN points • 03 May 24
🔬 Science Physics Research Mathematics Electricity Magnetism
  1. There are debates about how forces act over distances. Some people think there's a hidden connection, while others believe that objects can directly affect each other without any medium.
  2. Here’s a fun example: when you ring a bell using a wire, the movement happens gradually, showing that actions often involve a series of connections, not just instant forces.
  3. Scientists like Faraday introduced the idea of 'lines of force' to visualize these actions. Instead of just thinking about pushes and pulls, we can now understand force as stretching and pressing through a medium.

Foundations of Physical Theory: Function of Models

Fields & Energy • 3 HN points • 02 Sep 24
🔬 Science Physics Mathematics Models Theory Electricity Magnetism
  1. Models in physics help us understand complex ideas by simplifying them into more relatable forms. They allow us to reason about things we can't observe directly.
  2. It's important to consider the medium through which forces act, rather than just thinking of actions at a distance. This helps explain phenomena like electricity and magnetism more clearly.
  3. Using analogies can be helpful in learning new concepts, but we must be careful not to confuse them with the actual properties of the things we are studying.

Magnets

Barn Lab • 0 implied HN points • 12 May 23
🔬 Science Physics Materials Engineering Electricity Magnetism
  1. Magnets have two poles: north and south, which attract or repel each other.
  2. Magnetism in materials comes from aligned electron spins creating a magnetic field.
  3. Electricity flowing through conductive materials generates a magnetic field, essential for building motors and generators.
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