What is the purpose of a permanent magnet?
A permanent magnet is a material that can produce a magnetic field. Permanent magnets are made of ferromagnetic materials and are created when the material is placed inside a magnetic field. When the magnetic field is removed, the object remains magnetized. Permanent magnets are most often made from substances such as magnetite (Fe3O4), a naturally occurring magnetic mineral, or neodymium, which has very strong magnetic properties and is a synthetic substance. Like any other magnet, a permanent magnet produces a magnetic field that surrounds the magnet in a distinctive pattern. The size of the magnetic field is related to the size of the magnet and its strength. Permanent magnets are also the oldest type of magnet and are still used today for a wide variety of applications.
