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Is there a type of magnet that will only attract one type of metal. For example if I were to me in a room full of small metal objects and I turned on a 'special' magnet, would it be possible that only one of those metals in that room react?

sammy gerbil
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Lachlan Gray
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1 Answers1

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All magnets producing the same magnetic field $B$ have the same effect on other objects. Under normal circumstances you will only be able to sort out (attract) ferromagnetic objects with a magnet. Some of these ferromagnetic objects (materials) might be more strongly magnetized and thus attracted than others. With ea really strong magnet you could also attract paramagnetic objects and repel diamagnetic objects. But there is, in general, no way to attract only a specific single metal.

freecharly
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