Why is a metallic ball attracted to an electromagnet?

[tecnica]

I always heard that magnetic forces don't do work, and that they act perpendicularly to the direction of movement.

 

[Aceix]

I always heard that magnetic forces don't do work, and that they act perpendicularly to the direction of movement.

that's not true. when a magnetic material enters a magnetic field, it electrons align to the field such that it creates a magnetic dipole in which unlike poles become complementary and hence there i a net attractive magnetic force on the object. so it does work on it.

Aceix.

 

[Philip Wood]

The magnetic force on a moving charge is at right angles to the velocity of then charge, and so does no work on it. But neither the metal ball nor the magnet is a moving charge. In this case, it is as Aceix says.

 

[Khashishi]

Whoever first claimed that a magnetic field can do no work needs to be arrested, tried, and shot for crimes against the minds of our youth.