The key difference between attraction and repulsion of magnets is that attraction of magnets occurs when unlike poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other, whereas repulsion of magnets occurs when like poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other.
Generally, the attraction or repulsion of the magnets depends largely on the direction of the poles that are facing each other. The term attraction refers to a force between two or more dissimilar or unlike charges or poles, while the term repulsion refers to a force between two or more similar or like charges. When two magnets get close to each other, they either attract or repel each other. However, the magnetic properties of a material can be lost if the material is heated, hammered, dropped from a height, or even due to improper storage.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Attraction of Magnets
3. What is Repulsion of Magnets
4. Attraction vs Repulsion of Magnets in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Attraction vs Repulsion of Magnets
What is Attraction of Magnets?
The attraction of magnets can be described as the action or power of coming closer to each other. Every magnet has two poles known as the south pole and the north pole. When the south pole is kept close to the north pole, they attract each other.
Usually, magnets are surrounded by an invisible magnetic field that consists of stored-up or potential energy. Upon attempting to push two similar-sided poles together, the stored-up energy starts to move and is known as kinetic energy. This forces them apart.
What is Repulsion of Magnets?
The repulsion of magnets can be described as the action or power of repulsing. When the south pole of one magnet is kept close to the south pole of another magnet or the north pole is kept close to the north pole of another magnet, the two magnets tend to repel each other. In other words, when like poles are pushed together, they repel each other.
Coulomb established an inverse square law of force for magnetic poles and electric charges. This law states that unlike poles attract and like poles repel, just as unlike charges attract and as charges repel. However, Coulomb’s law is used these days only for charges, though it historically created the foundation for a magnetic potential analogous to the electric potential.
A good example of attraction and repulsion is the magnetic compass. The needle of the magnetic compass aligns with the direction of an external magnetic field, which is a good example of the torque to which the magnetic dipole is subjected.
What is the Difference Between Attraction and Repulsion of Magnets?
The attraction and repulsion forces of magnets depend on the south and north poles of the magnet and how they react when these poles are pushed to each other. The key difference between attraction and repulsion of magnets is that attraction of magnets occurs when unlike poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other, whereas repulsion of magnets occurs when like poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other.
The following table summarizes the difference between attraction and repulsion of magnets.
Summary – Attraction vs Repulsion of Magnets
The key difference between attraction and repulsion of magnets is that attraction of magnets occurs when unlike poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other, whereas repulsion of magnets occurs when like poles of the magnets are kept closer to each other. In attraction, two unlike-poles stick to each other, whereas in repulsion, two like-poles cannot be taken to close proximity.
Reference:
1. “Repulsion or Attraction between Two Magnetic Dipoles.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Maglev Propulsion” By Cool Cat, at the English Wikipedia project (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Magnetic Compass 11/26/17” By Diane Cordell (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr