Why Are There So Many Different Shapes Of Magnets?

Although we may be most familiar with magnets used as decoration or for advertising purposes, they are essential tools used in construction and industry. Magnets are also important to our everyday lives. They are used in computers, speakers, televisions, elevators, and fax machines, to name just a few. Considering the variety, it's not surprising that they come in a number of shapes and sizes.

Why Are Magnets Found in Such a Variety of Shapes and Sizes?

The shape and size of a magnet are important for a number of reasons. First of all, the shape of a magnet determines the direction of the fields that surround the magnet fields are what allow to attract and repel metal objects and other. The direction of the field surrounding the magnet, in turn, determines the uses of the magnet.

Another aspect that is important in terms of the particular uses of magnets is the fact that magnetic power is strongest at the poles. The simplest has two poles, traditionally designated as north and south. While these opposite ends exert considerable power, the strength of the field is weaker along the sides of the magnet.

We are all familiar with the standard with a single north pole, and a single south pole. However, the shape of a magnet can be manipulated to increase the number of north and south poles. For example, a "quadrupole" has two north poles and two south poles. A "sextupole", as its name suggests, has six poles: three north poles and three south poles.

Magnet Shapes and Uses

In order to better understand how a magnet's shape determines its use, it is helpful to consider a few examples.

Bar are most familiar to us from everyday use. For example, bar are used in cabinet fasteners that keep cabinet doors securely closed. Bar magnets are also used for refrigerator that can be used to hang papers and other things on this kitchen appliance.

Horseshoe magnets, in contrast, are considerably stronger than bar magnets. In fact, their shape doubles their strength because the poles are bent to point in the same direction. These particularly strong are used in engineering and construction to retrieve hard to reach metal objects.

How Important Is the Shape of the Magnet?

The importance of the shape of the magnet depends on its intended use. For everyday, household use, shape is not very important. That's because these types of magnets are used for relatively light-weight tasks. However, in construction and industry, magnet shape is particularly important. In these cases, magnets are used for specialized tasks that require greater strength and accuracy.

Speed Conversion and How Fast Is Light?

Have you ever thought about speed? What does it really mean? Well the boring academic version of what is speed goes along the following lines;

Speed (v) is defined as the magnitude of the velocity that is the derivative of the position with respect to time.

Makes perfect sense? No didn't think so. To understand speed and the various ways you can measure speed lets first take a small history lesson.

Around 1667 Galileo tried to determine the speed of light, remember there was no electrify then so Galileo was experimenting with lamps and having an assistant cover and uncover the lamps. Hence Galileo though the speed of light was 10 times faster than the speed of sound.

Ole Roemer a Danish astronomer tried to work out the speed of light while observing the moons of Jupiter, which btw Galileo had helped find. Anyway Roemer can to the conclusion that light travelled at 200,000 Km/s or Kilometres per second.

In the 1840's a French physicist, Louis Fizeau devised an experiment, with a spinning will with clogs on the wheel and a mirror 5 miles (about 8 Km) in the distance, (we will get to the abbreviations later); by reflecting light from the mirror, through the spinning wheel Louis determined the speed of light to be 313,300 Km/s

Another French physicist (must have be part of their University course), Leon Foucault in the 1860's tried much the same experiment as Fizeau and arrived at a figure of 299,796 Km/s for the speed of light.

What does all this tell us? Well for one thing measuring light from the 1660's through to the 1900's was not easy, but it also tells us that we; people have always tried to measure speed to find out how fast sometime is.

If we just side step for the moment at look at some of the abbreviations you may come across.

Firstly the standard MPH and Km/h. MPH is of course Miles per Hour and still used in both America and the UK. Km/h is Kilometres per Hour and is used in most countries that have converted to the metric system The Metric system used to measure, speed, weight etc. is based on tens. The metric system of measurement is used mainly in Europe, though countries like Australia adopted the system many years ago.

As an interesting point though, both systems still use the same measurement of time, there is no metric time.

KMs is Kilometres per Second, usually used to measure the speed of light. Other Units of measure for speed are:

Meters per Second (m/s), the metric version of Feet per Second.

Knots (knots); this is used by boats and ships and they usually talk of nautical miles which is different to a normal mile.

Feet per Second (ft/s); what you would use to measure, walking or running, also for some reason used for measuring braking distance for say a car.

Mach number; Mach numbers are the speed divided by the speed of sound, you here of this mainly with jet engines. The speed of sound is 1235 Km/h or 768 mph. But these figures will vary slightly depending on the air temperature and if you are at sea level or not.

So what have we learnt so far, well we know people had trouble measuring the speed of light, there are a number of different ways to display what the speed is and the speed of sound can change with the weather.

As an interesting foot note to the speed of light, the US National Bureau of standards lists the speed of light as being 299,792.4574 Km/s.

While the British National Physical Laboratory lists the speed of light to be 299,792.4590 Km/s.

Don't worry we can't see Who Wants to be a Millionaire asking what about the 2 sets of figures.

So back to the question of what is speed, well it's really how fast you are traveling at a particular time, be it by car, foot, or on a plane, and what did the "v" mean, well when the academics' talk of speed they usually call it velocity and that's where the v comes from.

As an experiment you can try and measure the speed of light, or just find the answer here which is:

299,772.458 Km/s. This was agreed upon in 1983 at a conference in Swiss land you can find out what that is in MPH by doing a quick search with your favourite search engine.

Jon Grey is an IT specialist with a strong interest in history and the scientific discoveries that have occurred without the computing power we have today.

Forum Training - A Transformative Method To Gain A Better Understanding In Life

Forum Training is a transformative method of learning, which lets people uncover their challenges along with learning the methods of how to surmount them simultaneously. From the term 'forum', one gets a clear idea that this is primarily a conference like training and not at all a lecture session that is normally being held at colleges or institutions. Such refresher training increases and instills the confidence level, improves life, relationship and bonding within the people who want to succeed. The course has been proven successful in developing a strong bonding relationship and instilling confidence thereby helping them earn a better understanding in life and enjoy life to the fullest.

The forum training sessions are made interactive, whereby the participants are asked to throw questions or seek for interpretations. The members or the participants get time to explore a community, gaining knowledge they might have not experienced in the past. The professional facilitator guides the group and ensures that that your forum develops a group interaction model, where every member finds a safe platform to learn and grow. They take time and invite the participants engage in group activities so that they can realize certain basic aspects. Hence, with professional facilitator, the participants can realize the true worth of shared peer experience from the very beginning.

What Takes Place At Forum Training?

At Forum training or moderator training, a skilled facilitator helps the participants or group through language protocol, which mainly serves as a set of communication principles that aid in creating a secure and open ambiance for maximizing and sharing each and every individual's learning potential.

The trainer guides the members through the confidentiality contract and fundamental guidance for being present in forum featuring constitution building, scheduling, ground rules, presentation and logistics development program.

The facilitator helps the group through a complete sample session, like the actions that aid in establishing the generalities, soldering exercises and mutual sharing to let the members get hold of the forum fully.

The facilitator asked questions, helps with any issues that may come up and ensures that everyone is able to get the most out of training. The questions are placed accordingly and segmented lessons are being introduced. Through this participants get to know how things that were once considered impossible can now be achieved.

In the final session, the facilitators ask the group to review the whole training program or course. The participants exchange and interact ideas and reflect on information they have gathered from the forum. Be it newly learnt or old concepts-, all are nurtured and the confusing areas are taken care of. This is done to intensify the participant's understanding of the whole concept of transformational training at day's end.

Who Can Enroll in Forum Training

There are no limitations as to who may attend and who may not. Individuals from diverse backgrounds seeking a refresher training course or planning to form a new group can enroll. However, remember that participants should be serious enough if they wish to end up with fruitful and satisfying results.