Do magnets gradually lose their power?

Question

"Energy cannot be created or destroyed", and magnets continually exert force. Do they lose their power over time?

And a related question, do atoms gradually lose their energy? I mean, the electrons constantly orbit the nucleus, and that takes energy. What happens if they run out of energy?

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

If you hit a magnet hard enough, you can unmagnetize it to a certain degree. Also, a very strong magnet next to a weaker magnet can either unmagnetize it or realign its poles. Atoms constantly interact with each other, gaining energy here, and losing energy there. Electrons don't really orbit the nucleus...that was Bohr's model of the atom. They stay in energy clouds and have discrete energies which differ from shell to shell and element to element. Valence electrons get knocked off out of their shells all the time due to chemical, columbic, and radiative means because of a smaller binding energy than inner shell electrons.

Answer 3

the basis of a magnet is that dipoles within the magnet align with eachother to produce a larger net magnetic dipole. magnets do not have 'power' or 'energy' in the way you mean it. magnets do not continually exert force. they produce a magnetic field which will exert a force on a moving charge or other magnet. there is no net creation or loss of energy. if you move a magnet near to aother that requires energy due to repulsion between the two, yu are giving the magnet potential energy. if you release one magnet it will be repelled, the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy.

gravity is pretty much the same. it is always there. picking up an object requires energy (giving the object potential energy). dropping it gives it kinetic energy (and a corresponding loss of potential energy).

atoms do not gradually lose their energy. electrons are in stable orbits. if they ran 'out of energy' then matter would not exist.

Answer 4

Yes magnets may lose their magnetic field if they come into contact with other stronger magnetic fields. A magnetic field with an field orientation opposite to a magnet can demagnetise the magnet or reverse the orientation of the magnetic field. However if a magnet is kept free from all external magnetic field and other external sources of energy such as heat, and physical deformation then they do not lose their magnetic fields over time.

Electrons do not lose their energy over time. In classical mechanics (as explained by Newton), electrons will lose energy over time and spiral into the nucleus. As this does not practically happen, it lead to the development of an alternative school of thought known as quantum mechanics (Max Plank). Later experiments proved that the predictions of quantum mechanics to be true.

In quantum mechanics, electrons revolve around the nuclues in fixed orbits such that they do not lose energy while orbiting. If they jump from one orbit to another they require to release or absorb a quanta of energy. Orbits in quantum mechanics are fixed and electrons cannot have any random orbit ( as opposed to classical mechanics). Electrons when they are in these standard orbits do not lose energy when orbiting.

Answer 5

yep they lose field strength over time and become demagnetized

and nope atoms do not lose energy. Its not that energy is lost in orbit about the nucleus, but an electron in motion gives off radation, at least in the Bohr model of the atom. This was one of the reasons a quantum theory of the atom was proposed

Answer 6

** http://www.magnetsales.com/Design/FAQs_frames/FAQs_2.htm

** How permanent is a magnet's strength?

If a magnet is stored away from power lines, other magnets, high temperatures, and other factors that adversely affect the magnet, it will retain its magnetism essentially forever.

** Will magnets lose their power over time?

Modern magnet materials do lose a very small fraction of their magnetism over time. For Samarium Cobalt materials, for example, this has been shown to be less that 1% over a period of ten years.

** What might affect a magnet's strength?

The factors can affect a magnet's strength:


Heat



Radiation

Strong electrical currents in close proximity to the magnet

Other magnets in close proximity to the magnet

(Neo magnets will corrode in high humidity environments unless they have a protective coating.)


Shock and vibration do not affect modern magnet materials, unless sufficient to physically damage the material.

Answer 7

Natural magnets don't loose their powers. In artificial magnet power is lost only if its sticked to a metal, banged or is heated strongly. Any other questions?

Answer 8

Ther are two kinds of magnets--natural and man made. The natural does not lose its strength but the man made will over time.

Answer 9

yes, magnets can lose thier power if they are near another magnet with higher magnitism or if they are near any sort of magnet attracting metal.
hope that helps.

Answer 10

those that have the ads on them but I think the LArge Heavy Duty ones were made to last

Answer 11

Yes, energy can change its shape,