what “powers” magnets? how do magnets attract stuff, overcoming things like wind resistance, withiut creating energy?

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what “powers” magnets? how do magnets attract stuff, overcoming things like wind resistance, withiut creating energy?

In: Physics

2 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

It’s analogous to gravity. If you lift a weight, you’re putting energy into the weight. We say that a weight that’s been lifted high up has high potential energy. You let it go and it falls to the floor, releasing that potential energy and turning it into kinetic energy.

You could likewise think of it in terms of work. You exert work on the weight by lifting it, and when you drop that weight it exerts work on the floor by leaving a dent or making a loud noise or whatever.

Magnets do the same thing. You pull two magnets apart from each other and their potential energy increases. Let go and they speed towards each other, converting the stored potential energy into kinetic energy. The work you put in pulling them apart is turned into work by the magnets slamming into each other (or overcoming wind resistance as you pointed out).

Whether you’re lifting a weight or pulling magnets apart the total energy remains the same, it’s just converted between various forms.

Anonymous 0 Comments

Electromagnetic force is one of the fundamental forces of the universe. Like gravity. Negative charges attract positive charges. This is the entire basis for magnets