1. Magnets Robert Deden

2. What do electric charges have in common with magnetic poles? Both electric charges and magnetic poles have a positive and negative charge

3. What is a major difference between electric charges and magnetic poles? electric charges are full of negative and positive molecules, while magnetic poles have a magnetic magnetic poles do not exist without both north and south poles field Electric charges can exist on their own, but doesn’t last as long

4. What is a magnetic field, and what is its source? A region in space created by moving electrons, producing a force that causes other electrons to move which creates another electric current. All planets (including sun) have a magnetic north and south pole

5. Since all atoms have spinning electrons, why are all atoms not tiny magnets? Because in most atoms the electrons and protons even eachother out enabling them to roam around the atom in normally a fixed fashion, cancelling out any charge

6. What is so special about iron that makes each iron atom a tiny magnet? Irons structure allows electrons/protons to travel in a fixed path, which gives it a positive and negative charge, not cancelling out the charge

7. What is magnetic domain? An area of magnetic fields of atoms that group together and align

8. How can a piece of iron be induced into becoming a magnet? A piece of iron, alloys, or many other metals can be turned into a magnet if it is introduced to a magnetic field, which will send its charge through the metal

9. Why will dropping or heating a magnet weaken it? In a magnet the electrons in the atoms are spinning in the same direction, which gives a magnet its magnetic domain-north or south-and creates a magnetic field. If the electrons are spinning in an unorganized fashion the domain will scatter and the magnet will not its charge. Dropping, hitting, or heating a magnet will disturb the magnetic field, spinning the electrons will make the alignment go out of place and becomes random. If you heat the magnet electrons will move faster and can vibrate out of alignment with the domain.

10. What role does Earth's magnetic field play in cosmic ray bombardment? Cosmic rays such as solar flares from the sun could kill us if the earth had no magnetic field. Cosmic rays are greatly charged up particles that can damage all types of life, a magnetic field weakens these particles and saves everyone from dying along with the ozone layer

11. According to most geophysicists, what is the probable cause of the Earth's magnetic field? The old theory used to be from iron in the core, but now scientists geuss it is from two to four counter-rotating circulations of plate techtonics

12. What are magnetic pole reversals, and what evidence is there that the Earth's magnetic field has undergone pole reversals throughout history? This is when the earths magnetic field switches places, north goes south and south goes north, which leads to an ice age because the magnetic fields cannot help keep heat on the earth

13. citations http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en& q=define:magnetic+field&sa=X&ei=CS9UTaWWFc m_gQevuMHHCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQkAE http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en& q=define:magnetic+field&sa=X&ei=CS9UTaWWFc m_gQevuMHHCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQkAE http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_a_perma nent_magnet_weaken_when_you_drop_or_heat _it#ixzz1Db0bqI9u http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_a_perma nent_magnet_weaken_when_you_drop_or_heat _it#ixzz1Db0bqI9u http://survive2012.com/index.php/cosmic- rays.html http://survive2012.com/index.php/cosmic- rays.html http://mb-soft.com/public/tecto7.html