Supercooled magnet- effects on other materials?

In summary, by cooling a permanent magnet towards absolute zero while keeping the temperature of the iron constant, the force between the two materials will slowly increase until a certain temperature where it rapidly decreases. This experiment has been performed on various magnetic materials, with results showing a moderate increase in force at lower temperatures.
  • #1
khinch
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If I were to take a permanent magnet and hold a piece of, say iron, a fixed distance away there would be constant attractive force generated between the two bodies. If I were then to cool the magnet down towards absolute zero, but keep the temperature of the iron constant, what changes would I expect to see in the force between the two materials?

Does anyone know of this experiment being performed? If so, what were the results?

Any information would be much appreciated.

Oh, and “hi” to all on these forums, this is my first post!.
 
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  • #2
khinch said:
If I were to take a permanent magnet and hold a piece of, say iron, a fixed distance away there would be constant attractive force generated between the two bodies. If I were then to cool the magnet down towards absolute zero, but keep the temperature of the iron constant, what changes would I expect to see in the force between the two materials?
Nothing spectacular. The force will increase slowly as you cool the magnet. At about liquid helium, you may have an increase in the force of about* 20% compared to the room temperature
value. If you heat it above room temperature, the force will decrease slowly until a certain temerature (called the Curie temperature), beyond which it falls rapidly and becomes vanishingly small.

Does anyone know of this experiment being performed? If so, what were the results?
Yes, this experiment has been performed on thousands of different magnetic materials. Here's an example for one such :
http://www.biomagres.com/content/figures/1477-044X-2-4-1-l.jpg

* Note : The actual value of how much it changes depends on the material that makes up the magnet. For an NdFeB magnet, I don't believe it increases by my than 10 or 20%. There are other materials where the increase may be as high as 100%, but these materials don't usually make great magnets at room temperature.
 
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  • #3


Hello and welcome to the forum! I can offer some insights on the effects of a supercooled magnet on other materials. First, it's important to understand that a supercooled magnet is a magnet that has been cooled below its Curie temperature, which is the temperature at which it loses its magnetic properties. This can happen with certain types of magnets, such as ferromagnetic materials like iron, when they are cooled to very low temperatures.

In theory, as the magnet is cooled towards absolute zero, the atoms within the magnet will start to align in a more orderly fashion, resulting in a stronger magnetic field. This could potentially increase the attractive force between the magnet and the piece of iron. However, the effect may not be significant enough to be easily observed, especially if the distance between the two materials is fixed.

As for any experiments that have been performed on this topic, there have been studies on the magnetic properties of supercooled materials, including magnets. One study published in the journal Nature found that a supercooled magnet had a stronger magnetic field than an uncooled magnet, but the difference was only about 0.3%. So while there is a change in the magnetic properties, it may not be easily detectable in everyday experiments.

I hope this helps answer your question. If you have any further inquiries, please feel free to ask.
 

1. What is supercooling and how does it affect materials?

Supercooling is the process of cooling a substance below its freezing point without it solidifying. This can have various effects on other materials, such as changing their physical properties or inducing phase changes.

2. How does supercooling a magnet affect its magnetic properties?

Supercooling a magnet can cause changes in its magnetic properties, such as increasing its magnetic strength or changing its polarity. This is due to the alignment of the magnetic domains within the magnet becoming more organized and stable at lower temperatures.

3. Can supercooled magnets have an impact on other nearby materials?

Yes, supercooled magnets can have a strong influence on other materials in their vicinity. This is because the magnetic field of the supercooled magnet is more concentrated and can interact with the magnetic properties of other materials, causing changes in their behavior.

4. Is there a limit to how cold a magnet can be supercooled?

Yes, there is a limit to how cold a magnet can be supercooled. This is known as the Curie temperature, which is the point at which a material loses its magnetic properties. Supercooling a magnet beyond this temperature would cause it to lose its magnetic strength and become non-magnetic.

5. Are there any potential hazards or risks associated with supercooling magnets?

Yes, there are some potential hazards and risks associated with supercooling magnets. These include the risk of the magnet shattering due to thermal stress, the risk of cryogenic burns from handling the supercooled magnet, and the risk of damaging other materials through strong magnetic interactions.

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