The Magnetic Attraction of an Iron Nail

AI Thread Summary
An iron nail is attracted to a bar magnet due to the alignment of its magnetic domains when exposed to the magnet's field. The magnet induces a temporary magnetization in the nail, causing its dipoles to align in a way that results in attraction rather than repulsion. This phenomenon is similar to how a neutral object can be attracted to a charged object, where the electric field influences the distribution of charges within the neutral object. The random orientation of the nail's dipoles means there is no inherent repulsion, allowing for consistent attraction. Thus, the interaction between the magnet and the nail is fundamentally about induced magnetism.
cragar
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Why does an iron nail always get attracted to a bar magnet? You think one side would attract it and on side would repel it, Is this because When I bring the magnet close to the nail does it causes the domains to flip so it attracts it, Is this similar to why a neutral object gets attracted to a charged object.
 
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cragar said:
Why does an iron nail always get attracted to a bar magnet? You think one side would attract it and on side would repel it,
That's what wouldhappen if the nail were a magnet, i.e. all its little poles were aligned. There no reason for one end of the nail to repel, since it little poles are not all oriented.
 
then why is it attracted in the first place. If its little dipoles are all random.
 

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