Earth Magnetism: Gravity vs Attraction

[Jacinta]

Don't we, as people on Earth, react to Earth the same way as paperclips are attracted to magnets? Why is "gravity" not magnetism?

 

[jedishrfu]

We live on a big blue marble. Gravity holds us to the ground. We also have a magnetic field caused by the rotation of the iron core of the Earth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Structure_of_the_Earth#Core

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth's_magnetic_field

How much science have you had to date?

 

[Jacinta]

Gravity holds us to the ground.

But magnetism as a force attracts certain objects to one another, like paperclips to magnets, like people to Earth. Why do we need a separate definition for Gravity?

 

[jedishrfu]

Jacinta, How much science have you had to date?

You must be aware that magnetism is valid only for certains types of materials and in some cases attracts and in other cases repels whereas gravity always attracts all materials. Isn't that enough reason to have two different definitions for each phenomena.

 

[Janus]

But magnetism as a force attracts certain objects to one another, like paperclips to magnets, like people to Earth. Why do we need a separate definition for Gravity?

Because gravity behaves differently than magnetism does in many ways. For example, the North poles of two magnets will repel each other, while there is no equivalent repulsion effect with gravity. Another example. with magnetism, the strength of the attraction or repulsion depends on the materials involved. Some materials respond strongly while others not at all. With gravity, it doesn't matter what something is made of, it responds to gravity in exactly the same way. To put it another way. If the attraction of object to the Earth were due to magnetism, it would be possible to have objects of the same mass fall at different speeds just by making them from different substances.( in fact, since there are materials that are actually repelled by magnetic fields, you could have objects that "fall" upwards when.)

 

[davenn]

But magnetism as a force attracts certain objects to one another, like paperclips to magnets, like people to Earth. Why do we need a separate definition for Gravity?

You were told in post #2 that it is gravity NOT magnetism that holds us to the earth

Have you ever tried holding a magnet to your body and then letting it go ?
what does the magnet do ? stick to your body or fall to the ground ?

try it and tell us the results

what does that result tell you about people and magnets ?

 

[Bigjoemonger]

There are four known forces.
The strong nuclear force.
The weak nuclear force.
The electromagnetic force.
The gravitational force.

All four function in very distinct different ways.
Electromagnetic has to do with aligning atomic charges in the same direction. So objects can be attracted but they can also be repelled.
Gravity has to do with mass. Everything with mass is attracted to each other. Those with more mass are more attractive. Gravity only attracts, it doesn't repel.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Looks like we have some really great answers. Thanks. Let's call it a job well done.