magnetism

magnetism, force of attraction or repulsion between various substances, especially those made of iron and certain other metals; ultimately it is due to the motion of electric charges.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Magnetic Poles, Forces, and Fields
• Magnetic Materials
• The Basis of Magnetism
• Evolution of Electromagnetic Theory
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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