People have known for a long time that a certain type of rock, called lodestone, is a natural magnet. When scientists learned why that is, they also learned how to make other metals into magnets.
Magnetism happens when tiny particles called electrons behave in a certain way. All objects in the universe are made up of units called atoms. Atoms in turn are made up of electrons and other particles (neutrons and protons). The electrons spin around the atom’s nucleus, which contains the other particles. The spinning electrons form tiny magnetic forces. Sometimes many of the electrons in an object spin in the same direction. In these cases, all the tiny magnetic forces from the electrons add up to make the object one big magnet.
It is possible to make a magnet by taking an existing magnet and rubbing another piece of metal with it. The new piece of metal must be rubbed continuously in the same direction. This will make the electrons in that metal start to spin in the same direction.
Electricity can also create magnets. Electricity is a flow of electrons. As electrons move through a piece of wire they have the same effect as electrons spinning around the nucleus of an atom. This is called an electromagnet.
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