Is Hematite Strong Enough to Damage Electronic Devices?

[quasar987]

Hematite is a magnetic metal and a small amount of it can produce fields up to 600 gauss (http://cgi.ebay.ca/MENS-JEWELRY-MAGNETIC-HEMATITE-RING-BAND-SZ-10-11-12_W0QQitemZ5029171967QQcategoryZ10297QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem). How many gauss are necessary to damage things such as a computer screen, TV screen... What are other items that are suceptible to be damaged by magnetic fields? What about digital atches?

 

[Astronuc]

Well my son has managed to hose our TV screen with some small magnetic wands - but I don't know how the field strength.

We had the screen degaussed.

Possibly credit cards or anything that has magnetically stored information could be harmed by a strong magnetic field.

 

[astrokreng]

I can confirm that hematite is indeed a magnetic metal. This is due to its chemical composition, which includes iron oxide, a mineral that is naturally magnetic. A small amount of hematite can produce magnetic fields up to 600 gauss, which is relatively strong compared to other naturally occurring magnetic materials.

In terms of damaging electronic devices such as computer screens and TV screens, the necessary strength of a magnetic field would depend on the sensitivity of the specific device. Most electronic devices are designed to withstand a certain level of magnetic interference, but strong magnetic fields can potentially cause damage. It is difficult to determine a specific level of gauss that would cause damage, as it can vary depending on the device and its components.

Aside from electronic devices, other items that are susceptible to damage by magnetic fields include credit cards, pacemakers, and mechanical watches. These items contain small, delicate components that can be disrupted or damaged by strong magnetic fields. It is important to keep these items away from magnets or magnetic materials to avoid potential damage.

As for digital watches, they typically use quartz crystal technology, which is not affected by magnetic fields. However, some digital watches may have magnetic sensors or compass functions that can be affected by strong magnetic fields. In general, it is best to keep all electronic devices and magnetic materials away from each other to prevent any potential damage.