A Pop-Up Question about Physics

Why do magnets attract metals?

To be honest, this question hit my mind at 8am, and I though it might be intriguing to answer it using nothing but what's stored in my memory (I do that all the time, being too lazy to flip pages).

Okay, back to the question.

You see, metals consist of, well, metal atoms. These metal atoms are binded together via intermolecular forces known as the metallic bonds. Each metal achieves stable octet configuration invariably by expelling one or more electrons from their outermost shell. The expulsion is done due to the fact that the outermost electrons can obtain enough energy to be "free" and enter the conduction band from the valence band.

Thus, the metal atoms turn into cations, and the expelled electrons sort of coalesces into a mass with spaces between each individual electrons, known as a "sea" or "cloud" of electrons.

In picture, you can imagine a body of water, with electrons taking the place of water molecules, while metal cations are ice cubes, suspended in meticulous order in this "sea". And, knowing electrons, they're not about to sit tight or stay still.

Since these electrons have energy, they moved. Recall the magnetic force - it is present only on an electrically charged particle if the particle moves in any direction different to the direction of the magnetic field. The direction of the magnetic force, if present, will always be perpendicular to directions of both the velocity of the charged particle and the magnetic field.

Equation : (Magnetic Force, F) = (Electric Charge of Particle, q) * (Velocity of Charged Particle, v) x (Magnetic Field Strength, B)

Electrons within the "sea" moves randomly. When a piece of metal is placed within a magnetic field, the electrons within the "sea" experience magnetic force due to their random motion. Keep in mind that even though the net velocity of the masses of electrons are zero, the net magnetic force is not, since movement parallel to the magnetic field lines do not produce magnetic forces.

The force would not be enough to dispatch the electrons from their "sea" - instead the magnetic force pulls the electrons - along with the metal ions towards the source (magnet) where the magnetic field is at its strongest, since a stronger field exerts more magnetic force upon the electrons.

Macroscopically speaking, the metal is pulled towards the magnet due to the magnetic force exerted upon it. Non-metals have no free electrons in the conduction band, that's why they are not attracted towards magnets.

Education - What's Good for Whom

Sometimes, to say the least, education wears the passion out of youngsters. How many kids and teens out there like sitting still more than running around playing games? Not to say education was not fun at all, but really, not everyone can bring themselves to bear through the process of sitting quietly non-stop for eight hours a day, much less like it. Still, government policies made it so that it's the daily battle some have to struggle through during a period they call "term time", in modern countries.

Really, why should we just force knowledge into the next generation nowdays as if we are stuffing ingredients into a duck in preparation for the dish? As many would have known by now, not everyone can learn by simply sitting still and listen. There are much more who would rather take apart machines and rebuild them to learn how it works, who would rather live lterally in kitchens to finesse their art of cooking, and even those who would rather endure the heat of the desert just to uncover some artifact of a lost civilisation.

But, in their childhood years, when they would most likely develop a passion for somethiing they thought of pursuing as a life, they were forced to listen to teachers' lectures about ethics, literacy, history, etc. *sigh* When someone tries to protest, those who were for that type of "duck-stuffing" education just say, "They'll get through, like we did. It's all for their own good."

WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS THAT???

Please, everyone, why don't we just let them choose their path, their way of life? Children nowadays are becoming more matured than they were some generations ago. They were able to distinguish what they like from what they don't. So just trust the kids - let them do it their way. We only need to let let them know that we're there with them all the way, that we'll help if they need it.

Often, a single solution does not work for everyone. So help the next generation by letting them find theirs. Its one of the ways to let them retain their passion throughout their lives. Otherwise, we might indirectly snuffed it out, turning them into mindless minions walking the life laid down forcibly by others. This way, how could we evolve, how could we improve at all?