Electromagnets
Electromagnets are composed of a battery and iron wire that use electric current to generate a magnetic field. They are used to lift metallic objects and in the design of many different machines and electronic systems. Scientific laboratories, manufacturing plants that handle scrap metal, the automotive industry and appliance and electronic manufacturers use electromagnets. They are part of the design of electric motors, generators, doorbells, circuit breakers, TVs, speakers and read and write heads for hard disks and tape drives. In the automotive industry, electromagnets are used to manufacture brakes and clutches in vehicles. In factories and plants, electromagnets are used to lift and suspend scrap metal and other heavy metallic objects like billets, steel plates, bars and forgings.
Iron is used as the wire component in electromagnets because it belongs to a small group of metals that exhibit ferromagnetic properties and generates a magnetic field when exposed to electric current. The magnetism only exists when current is flowing from the battery. There are two main types of electromagnets. The first, flat-fraud, is mainly used when the magnet is able to attach itself to a smooth, flat piece of metal. Parallel-pole electromagnets have two poles spaced far apart from each other that allow the magnetic field to have a greater reach. These are used when the metallic object is of an irregular shape and only comes in partial contact with the magnet surface.