ABSTRACT
Magnetism has been put to use for centuries. This chapter looks at the various magnetic properties that solids can have, and also discusses some of the applications of magnets and magnetism. All magnetic moments are produced by the angular momentum of electrons in the atoms of solids, and there are two types of angular momentum for electrons in atoms: spin and orbital. As every atom except hydrogen contains more than one electron, there is the opportunity for some of the magnetic moments from the electrons to cancel one another out. Diamagnetism is the weakest form of magnetism and only exists in the presence of an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetic solids show a phenomenon known as hysteresis.
