Magentism in iron and steel is due to groups of iron atoms

I need help with induced magnetism?
I get it that induced magnetism is when a metal, such as iron or steel, becomes a magnet under the influence of a real magnet. however i don't understand why steel is than said to become a permanent magnet and iron just a temporary magnet. And if steel is in fact only a magnet when magnetism is induced into it, than why do steel balls stick together like magnets?


Best answer:
Answer by nyphdinmd
Magentism in iron and steel is due to groups of iron atoms aligning so that their magnetic moments all point in the same direction in space. These groups are called magnetic domains.

There are a lot of domains in even a small piece of iron or steel and under normal conditions, each domina points its magnetic ifled in some random direction. The net result is that the rion or steel is not magnetized.

When a magnet is brought close to the iron or steel sample, the domains in teh sample get aligned by the magnetic fiedl due to the magnet. This makes the sample magnetic. Now iron is fairly soft for a metal which allows the domains to re-aling if some external energy is appled. Just room temperature heat provides enough energy to permit the domains to begin to move and since the magnetised state is an unstable equillibrium state, the rion sample looses is magnetism fairly quickly.

Stell, on the other hand is hard, and the domains require more energy than is available from normal heat sources in order to move.


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