Can magnets only attract metal

Answer 1

Magnets have an effect on everything. In Florida a superstrong magnetic field floated a live frog.

It's just that the structure of iron on the atomic scale is more effected than other substances.

Electrons spin. Spinning electrical charges cause a magnetic field. If all the electrons are aligned randomly, the magnetic fields of each electron cancel out on average. But if all the electrons algn the same way, a strong magnetic field results.

When you bring a magnet close to iron, a property of iron allows the spinning electrons in the iron to easily align with the magnetic field. Other substances do not allow this alignment as easily.

Answer 2

This is not quite correct. There is a group of materials called loosely magnetic fluids (strictly, magnetorheological fluids, of which there are two families) which may have their viscosity varied (by the application of a magnetic field) from that of a simple fluid, up to that approaching a solid.

As you'd suspect, these materials consist of an oily fluid containing magnetizable particles. Thus giving us an 'electrical clutch'.

Electromagnets work because of a flow of electrons, each of which has a property called 'spin', the result of which is that the flow of an electrical current in a conductor will generate a magnetic field.

Permanent magnets have been made by causing the spin of a group of electrons in the substance to be aligned. A 'magnetic domain'.

And in both cases, the magnetic fields so generated can only react against materials which are similar, but which can react to the magnetic field. A rather limited set of the elements.

And don't forget that magnets repel as well as attract. This is a trick demonstration used by folk who work with superconductivity, where a superconductor will repel a magnet put into its magnetic field. This is genuine levitation, caused by the superconductor's magnetic field inducing an equal field in the small magnet - hence the repulsion and levitation.

Answer 3

Magnets stick only to ferrous materials. metals like iron, cobalt, etc.

Answer 4

Magnets can attract anything with components of iron, cobalt and nickel, these are thus far the only elements that can be attracted to magnets.