Why do magnets only attract to certain metals?

Answer 1

Magnets rely on the semi-free transfer of electrons between the magnet itself and the magnetic object allowing the molecules to be aligned to the same orientation as the magnet. Metals are the most common source of such a material but are not the only elements out there that react to a magnetic field.

Answer 2

magnets do always attract a magnet because the magnet induces an opposite pole arranging its domains according to domain theory and disturbing its closed chain according to molecular theory so for that instance it makes it a (i.e the substance to be attracted) magnet and attracts it so we can say that magnet attracts a magnet.

Answer 3

Materials which are strongly attracted to a magnet are called ferromagnetic. These materials are characterized by having a large number of unpaired electrons in their electronic structure. Materials which have few or no unpaired electrons are not attracted by magnets (some of them are even weakly repelled by magnets). Not all metals have unpaired electrons, but the elements that have several unpaired electrons happen to be metals.

Answer 4

Magnets don't only attract metals, they attract and repel many things, usually you don't notice in everyday life

Something that is strongly attracted to a magnet is said to have a high permeability. Iron and steel are two examples of materials with very high permeability, and they are strongly attracted to magnets. Liquid oxygen is an example of something with a low permeability, and it is only weakly attracted to a magnetic field. Water has such a low permeability that it is actually repelled by magnetic fields. Everything has a measurable permeability: people, gases and even the vacuum of outer space

metals have little sectors in their structures that contain magnetic http://wiki.answers.com/library.php?do=view_item&itemid=64that can be attracted to or unattracted to a magnet depending on the polarization of the sectors relative to the magnet's polarization (opposites attract).

In general, compounds that are conductors (like metals) are easily magnetized, while compounds that are insulators (like plastics, glasses, woods) are difficult to magnetize. Although this is just a guideline and not absolute.

Answer 5

First of all magnets attract many other objects rather than iron such as cobalt(strongly), liquid oxygen (slightly)etc. A magnet attracts other objects depending upon the permeability(degree of magnetic attractiveness) and the object must also have polar molecular alignment to be attracted strongly. so magnet attract other objects too.

Answer 6

Actually Magnets attract all objects, but Something that is strongly attracted to a magnet is said to have a high permeability. Iron and steel are two examples of materials with very high permeability, and they are strongly attracted to magnets. Liquid oxygen is an example of something with a low permeability, and it is only weakly attracted to a magnetic field. Water has such a low permeability that it is actually repelled by magnetic fields. Everything has a measurable permeability: people, gases and even the vacuum of outer space.

Answer 7

Actually,magnets don't stick to JUST iron,magnets stick to a certan material or mineral that SOME irons have.Even a rock has it.Thats why.