How do you make a magnet without a battery?

Question

How do the factories make magnets, I mean. They always last really long. I would like to make one that lasts long and doesn't need a battery. Like the ones you buy. But bigger.

Answer 1

Read this:
http://www.magnetsales.com/Design/FAQs_frames/FAQs_1.html

Magnets, real magnets, can keep their magnetism for just about forever, or forever as long as your or I are concerned.

Answer 2

I remember an "experiment" from when I was young.
Take a bar of material that can be magnetized (a steel spoon, a steel tool like a screwdriver, chisel, hammer), and line it up with the north and south poles (of the earth). Then start wailing on it with a hammer, holding it in the north and south pole line. Eventually you will knock the small "domains" of randomly magnetized material inside the metal tool/bar/spoon, into alignment and the magnet will become stronger.

This method, unfortunately, will not produce any super-strong magnets.

Factories magnetize magnetic materials under very strong electromagnetic fields (equivalent of a *big* hammer hittin on the material to be magnetized)


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