So I was wondering about if you hold up a magnet using a retort stand(or anything actually) and let a paper clip or something get attracted. But what is the energy being converted into the KE and GPE for the paper clip to move up? I asked my teacher but he said answering me will make me confused but I’m still too curious.
In: Physics
When the magnet is created, energy is put in to separate the poles. Magnetic fields prefer to pass through magnetic substances like the steel paperclip vs. the air. The magnetic field in a magnet is strongest at the poles, so if the paperclip is there, the magnet will have the least energy possible in this system. It is that energy which is converted to GPE.
Latest Answers