In this article, we take a look at whether tungsten, zinc, platinum, and other metals are magnetic.
Tungsten
This material has a low vulnerability to magnetism. An alloy of tungsten and carbon can be magnetic as its elements are more susceptible to magnetism. It is called tungsten carbide.
In nature, tungsten can be partially magnetic or even paramagnetic simply because of unpaired electrons. The realignment of their paths can happen due to an external magnetic field, which makes it weakly attracted by magnets.
| Industry | Function |
| Aerospace | Used in the production of aircraft and missile parts. It includes things such as turbine blades. Heat shields and reentry vehicles also use it as a material. |
| Automotive | Used in the production of engine and transmission parts, such as gears and crankshafts. |
| Electronics | Used in the production of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. It’s done for thermal management and radiation shielding purposes. |
| Medical | Used in the production of X-ray tubes and radiation shielding for medical equipment. |
| Steel Production | Used as an alloying agent. It increases the strength and toughness of steel. |
Zinc
Zinc is not magnetic unless exposed to a powerful magnetic field. In that case, the metal will gain magnetic properties for a short time until you remove it from the field. For practical purposes, zinc is not magnetic.
You can test it yourself by melting a penny and exposing the zinc to a magnet. Pennies made after 1982 should contain zinc with a thin layer of copper. As copper is not magnetic, you can conduct this experiment by focusing on zinc.
Uses:
- Galvanize other metals
- Street lamp posts
- Safety barriers
Tin
Tin is weakly attracted to a magnet, which makes it paramagnetic. You will often see this material used to create tinplate-steel sheet metal with a thin layer of tin coated on the surface.
Tinplate is used to manufacture tin cans in high demand for the beverage and food industries. Cosmetic and fuel industries also require this material for their operations. An essential feature of this material is its low melting point and resistance to corrosion from water.
Uses:
- Bearings
- Solder
- Food containers
Platinum
Another paramagnetic metal is platinum. Because it has such a weak magnetic element that is barely traceable, it will not react to magnets. Pure platinum is one of the most precious metals, which makes it very rare.
It is commonly used in jewelry and electronics, but platinum can also be an excellent conductor. While it lacks any ferromagnetic features, some scientists induced magnetic stats on the surface of a thin sheet of platinum.
Uses:
- Computer hard disks
- Thermocouples
Mercury
At room temperature, mercury is not magnetic at all. It has a minimal negative magnetic susceptibility. When you put it in a magnetic field, it will magnetize weakly in the opposite direction. That’s why mercury can be considered a weak diamagnetic substance when exposed to room temperature.
Some compounds containing mercury can be weak diamagnets but more potent than mercury. An alloy of mercury and iron can be created, which will be magnetizable simply because of the iron composition.
Cast iron
Even though cast iron has a small quantity of carbon in its chemical composition, it is still magnetic. This material has a variety of uses. The manufacturing process makes the difference between pure iron and cast iron.
Molten iron is poured into a particular mold, where the iron can cool and harden. Unlike other metals, iron can melt at lower temperatures. Once it is taken out of the mold, it can be shaped into various forms for different uses.
Bronze
Bronze is not magnetic, as it is an alloy with non-magnetic properties. Using a magnet, you can test the bronze and observe the lack of attraction. Even though it lacks ferromagnetic features, bronze is used in various sectors such as industry or furniture.
The composition of bronze is the main reason why it is non-magnetic. It is mainly made of copper, a metal that doesn’t attract magnets.
What are magnets made of?
To have magnetic properties, only ferromagnetic metals can be used for such a purpose. They will not be aligned in their natural state, but these metals can be magnetized.
Once this process is done, you will create three different types of magnets. These are permanent magnets, electromagnets, and temporary magnets. The permanent magnet is metal with a permanently re-aligned crystalline structure.
The temporary magnet will create a magnetic field only under specific conditions. And the electromagnet will run an electrical current through a coiling wire wrapped around a ferromagnetic metal.
