polesattraction

Polesattraction is the term used to describe the force of attraction between opposite magnetic poles, such as the north pole of one magnet and the south pole of another. In standard magnetism, opposite poles attract and like poles repel. The phrase is not common in formal physics literature; rather, scientists usually speak of magnetic dipole interactions or the attraction between oppositely oriented magnetic poles.

The attraction arises because magnetic dipoles tend to align to minimize the magnetic potential energy of a system. In permanent magnets, microscopic domains produce a net dipole moment; when two magnets are brought together with opposite poles facing, the magnetic field lines connect in a configuration that lowers the system’s energy, resulting in an attractive force. The strength of this force generally decreases with distance and depends on the geometry and material properties of the magnets involved.

In everyday life and technology, polesattraction is observed in fridge magnets attaching to metal surfaces, in the alignment of compass needles with the Earth's field, and in mechanical devices that rely on magnetic latching or clamping. It also plays a role in magnetic separation processes and in certain actuators and sensors that use attractive magnetic forces.

See also: Magnetic force; Magnetic dipole; Ferromagnetism; Magnetic field.