Uses of Electromagnets - What are Electromagnets Used for

An electromagnet is a type of magnet which can produce a magnetic field with the help of an electric current. It is not like the simple magnet, but is developed on the principle that electricity can produce a magnetic field. The magnetic field produced in this way can be effectively controlled, as the amount of current used in the process determines the strength of the magnetic field. It was the Danish scientist, Hans Christian Ørsted, who in 1820, discovered that an electric current can create a magnetic field, which is known as electromagnetism. Then in 1823, British scientist William Sturgeon, invented the first electromagnet, which was a horseshoe-shaped iron with a copper wire coiled around it.

They are essentially a wire coiled around a core, usually an iron core, though, anything can be used as the core. The wire is coiled in order to concentrate the magnetic field created by the electric current. The strength of electromagnets depends on several factors including the type of core used, the amount of electricity used and the number of times the wire is looped. Today, they have found a wide range of applications in a number of industrial and technological fields.

Usage of Electromagnets in Different Areas

The main advantage of electromagnets over the normal magnets, is that they can be easily started and stopped and the strength of the magnetic field can be effectively controlled, which makes them suitable for many technological and scientific uses.

Technological Field
Their main use is in storing information and moving things. They are used in many electrical devices like electrical balls, loudspeakers, magnetic locks and various magnetic recording devices such as computer disks, tape recorders, VCR, etc. Televisions also uses them to power the cathode ray tube to regulate the direction of the beam of electrons, used to illuminate the screen. They are also used in telephones, mobile phones and doorbells. Moving metals and picking up cars in junkyards are some of its common everyday uses. Spacecraft also use them in the propulsion system to generate power.

Electromagnets are also used for dumping garbage in recycling plants. Some studies are being carried out to discover the potential of using them in developing electric cars. The possibility of using electromagnetism in developing more environmental friendly or less polluting energy storage systems, is also a subject of many studies.

Medical Field
They are also widely used in the medical field. They are mainly used in removing embedded magnetic metal particles from inside the eyes, usually deposited during an accident. They are also utilized in hospital is in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is used for getting a detailed image of the inside of the body to diagnose a number of diseases.

So we can easily say that most of the technological advancements and inventions are based on the discovery of the quality of electricity to generate a magnetic field, or electromagnetism. Without the invention of electromagnets, much of the technological and scientific developments that we have witnessed so far, would not have been possible. So, the discovery of electromagnetism, can be termed as a landmark breakthrough in the history of science and technological development.