What type of metal is most attracted/repelled by with magnets, as in which one will work better with magnets?

Question

P.S. The type of metal, the lighter it weighs the better … so give me choices that are also light weight too.

Answer 1

For common metals, iron is pretty much all you have. Magnetite is an oxide of iron that is the about the most magnetic metal on earth.
If you are looking for low weight, rare earth magnets are the way to go, but will cost you accordingly. Neodymium or Samarium-Cobalt are your best bets there.

Answer 2

Iron is the best answer is already stated. However, permeativity to magnetism can be inceased several ways. For example, if you need to make a good inductor, such as a transformer, where the coil windings and magnetic field in the primary coil will create a magnetic field in the secondary coil, and thus electricity, you want the highest possible magnetic conductance coupling the two coils to each other. One way to do that is to take skinny individual metal plates and place them right next to each other and create a square magnetic conductor rather than one big piece of iron of equal thickness. The relationship of coil windidings to voltage is: N1/n2 =V1/v2, so the ratio of turns of N1 (primary coil) devided by turns ratio of the secondary coil is the voltage ratio. So for example, if we want 40 volts from the secondary, but have 120 volts from the primary, we have 120/40=30:1 ratio. So if the primary winding is 300 turns and the secondary winding is 10 turns, we would achieve the desired effect. Because 300:10 is like 30:1. However, this would not be possible without a highly efficient magnetic coupling between the two coils. If the "coefficient of coupling" is less, the formula is not as accurate. So in a way, you have an indirect way of measuring magnetic saturation of a magnetic conductor. Also, sprinkinling iron particles on a piece of plastic that winds from reel-to-reel is how audio cassettes and VHS video cassets work. The magnetic field that carries the audio is encoded in the magnetic pattern of the iron particles. I hope I helped. Any more questions feel free to ask

Answer 3

Iron is the metal that has the most magnetic properties. So you should choose an alloy that is high in iron what ever you do. It has to do with the way iron can align its electrons in the polar fashion. This is why stainless steel, that is extremely low in iron does not magnetize. Other easily magnetized materials are cobalt and nickel and carbon steel. An alloy called alnico is more efficient as a permanent magnet, look that up for its constituents, I cant remember whats in it (iron, aluminum, cobalt, nickel copper etc. I think)
Have fun with that, make sure I am right, its been a while since I studied material science engineering.

Answer 4

Iron is the strongest magnetic metal. Nickel and cobalt are also magnetic, but only at very high temperatures under very specific circumstances. A type of iron ore called magnetite is the strongest magnetically-speaking, but any iron or iron-based alloy (like steel) can be made magnetic either by repeated strikes with a permanent magnet, or by passing an electrical field through the metal.

Answer 5

Although some "tin cans" are actually made of cheap steel, which is an iron alloy, aluminum and tin are not iron alloys, they are metallic elements themselves.

Pure aluminum is not attracted to magnets at all, not sure about tin. There are some rare earth metals that make better magnets than iron, but they're more expensive.

Answer 6

Iron

Answer 7

I know that magnets won't attract aluminun

Answer 8

Iron alloys - steel, aluminum, tin, etc.