Magnetic Attraction of Iron and Two Views on Quantum Magnetism

Magnetism and light are among the earliest quantum phenomena recognised by human observation in nature, which led Chinese scholars to develop the compass around 200 BC. In 2021, data was collected that illustrated the interaction between north- and south-polarised magnetic fields, revealing a distinct interface where the magnetic fields converge and cancel each other out. This behaviour helps explain why an iron bar, when placed in a magnetic field, aligns itself and effectively produces an opposing magnetic field, resulting in an attractive force. As detailed in Equation 7, the iron bar must generate a sufficient level of magnetism so that its contribution surpasses a critical proportion relative to the external field. Understanding magnetic alignment in this way not only deepens our insight into paired electrons but also invites a renewed examination of magnetic moments, particularly concerning the interpretation of Maxwell’s second equation.