Walts magnetic field and electrical storms for simple

Joe, I thought the ends would of been true north and south, it appears true north and south was the sides with the greatests surface area, no need to waste your time, etc...

It's ok. I'm actually helping a kindergarten teacher gain a national certification and she wants to do some experiments with magnets as part of the science certification.CheersJoe Meert

Sorry, I'm just not getting this. For example, if the two magnets are touching end to end with north of one touching south of the other, then I'm not sure what you mean by, "they should attract on all sides, not including the top and bottom side." If they're only touching at their ends, how are you measuring that they "attract on all sides." Do you mean attract each other on all sides? Or other metallic objects on all sides?Other people seem to have a clear idea of what Whatever is doing. Can anyone describe it for me?--Percy

Percy,I don't think I know what he is doing either. However, I do know how bar magnets interact side-by-side and in different configurations. What this has to do with 12 poles and 2 poles at each end, well????? I'm going to play around and try to take some digital photos tonight. My son will love doing this as well.CheersJoe Meert

Percy, Lay the magnets so the side with the greatest surface area is laying flat on the table, then attract them end to end(to establish what you believe to be north and south polarity), then without lifting the magnets from the table rotate so all 4 sides with one magnet around the other magnets 4 narrow sides, they will attract on all 4 of the narrow sides, then flip one of the magnets 180 degrees, and lay it flat, without the lifting the magnets repeat rotating the magnets around the other, it will repel on all sides, etc...
P.S. Its because the sides with the greatest surface area, is the true north and south that the other 4 sides exibit this phenomenom, you can flip the 2 sides with the greatest surface area, and they will still attract, north to south, seems the sides of the magnets exhibt several poles, where if you flip one magnet they attract, flip it again and it repells, but if the top and bottom are true north and south, this is the way it should react, each side seems to have a north and south pole, but is just a reflection of one true north and one true south, of the ceramic bar magnet, etc...[This message has been edited by whatever, 02-09-2004]

This confusion is primarily because most modern-day consumer (refrigerator-door) magnets aren't bar magnets at all - the poles, as W saw, are on the faces. Iron filings really, truly will sort out where they are - the greatest concentration of filings will be at the poles. Get some, whatever. I'll even mail you some.

I'll e-mail you someCheersJoe Meert

Joe, I leaning that its all related to magnetic intensities, rather than reversals, because the sides of the magnets appear to share both north and south polarities, etc...P.S. I'd get up to 8 ceramic magnets, for the kindergarden teacher, and just play games with how different sides attract, not sure why iron bar magnets would be any different, etc...

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because the sides of the magnets appear to share both north and south polarities, etc.

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JM:That's physically impossible.CheersJoe Meert

whatever, bar magnets have distinct north and south poles which can be readily demonstrated by the old sprinkled iron filings on a piece of paper technique. Once you have mastered this basic understanding of magnetism then you can have some meaningful adventure with fridge magnets etc.

wj, It wasn't one of them weak refigerator magnets, its one of those strong ceramic block magnets, 3/8" by 7/8" by 1-7/8" iron filing wouldn't necessarily define magnetic polarity, just show the magnetic fields, but flipping the magnets would define north south polarities, here the link to the website for the ceramic magnets I used, etc...Access denied

whatever, the specific polarity of a magnet (north or south) is simply an historical convention. It is determined by how the magnet aligns itself in the earth's magnetic field. The basic fact remains that any single magnet will have two poles. Pick one as N and the other will be S. With two or more magnets interacting, the same poles repel and opposite poles attract. Using paper and iron filings will illustrate the shapes of the magnetic fields as they interact. If something different happens then put your hand up for a Nobel Prize.

wj, I agree my magnets exibited only one north and one south pole, on the sides with the greatest surface area, it was the other 4 sides that exibited a north and a south pole, guess I don't qualify for that nobel prize, etc...P.S. This puts the magnetic reversals in question, if the lateral sides of a magnet has dual polarity, its likely related to magnetic intensities, isn't this Walt Brown's inferences, that its magnetic abnormalities are actually magnetic intensities and not magnetic reversals, the permanent magnets dual polarities on the lateral sides, suggests this is in fact the case, etc...[This message has been edited by whatever, 03-05-2004]