How do Magnets Work?

[Steven Tjandra 1B]

Hello,

I was curious as to how magnets work. And what I found was that the molecules are arranged so that all the electrons are spinning the same direction. But doesn't that violate Pauli's Exclusion Principle that atoms in the same orbital have to spin opposite ways?

Stuck,
Steven Tjandra

[harper_2I]

The Pauli Exclusion Principle is fundamental in quantum mechanics, but when it comes to magnets, the Pauli Exclusion Principle is not the primary factor governing their behavior. Magnetism is quantum, but it is more directly related to the alignment of electron spins in atoms.

In magnets, the magnetic properties come from the alignment of electron spins within the atoms. The electrons in an atom possess spins, which can align in the same direction, leading to a magnetic field.

So, while the Pauli Exclusion Principle is crucial for understanding the behavior of electrons in atoms, it is not the primary factor regarding magnetic properties of materials. There are many interactions that cause magnetism.