How do magnets work?

At its simplest, magnetism comes from the movement of tiny particles called electrons.

Everything is made of atoms, and inside those atoms, electrons behave a bit like tiny magnets themselves, spinning and orbiting the nucleus. In most materials, these electrons are paired up in ways that cancel each other out, so the material doesn't act like a magnet.

In magnetic materials like iron, nickel, or cobalt, large groups of these electrons align their "spins" in the same direction. These areas are called magnetic domains. When these domains line up, their individual magnetic fields combine to create one large, strong magnetic field.

This field has two poles—a North and a South. Because of how these fields interact:

• Opposites attract: The North pole of one magnet pulls toward the South pole of another.
• Likes repel: Two North poles (or two South poles) push each other away.

Essentially, a magnet is just a material where the electrons are working together in the same direction, creating an invisible force field around the object.