Material which is magnetic
There are a few materials which are naturally magnetic, and have the potential to be turned into magnets. Some of these materials are
- iron
- hematite
- magnetite
- ionized gases (such as the material stars are made of)
A magnet can be made to stick to objects which contain magnetic material such as iron, even if they are not magnets. But a magnet cannot be made to stick to materials which are plastic, or cotton, or any other material, such as silicate rock, which is not magnetic.
Just because a material contains iron or some other magnetic material, however, it may not be a magnet. It takes special conditions to turn magnetic material into magnets. That is because a magnet is an object from which the force of magnetism originates.
More on Magnetism
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