The World is Changing

[digitS']

Simple olde me.

Trying to understand why my pocket tape measure is magnetic, although seemingly only in a coincidental way, has led me to learning that there is more than one type of magnet.

Yeah, as best as I can understand it, this magnet is a part, or protected by, the plastic part of the tape measure. The polymer, as I guess we should call it. The development of at least one type of these Rare Earth magnets didn't come about until 1982 so, much later than my junior high science classes! The "rare earth" used isn't all that rare, by the way. So, get used to seeing these things around - I guess.

You're thinking, it could be handy for picking up a dropped screw or something? I guess ... this tape measure won't even move a screw I have that a refrigerator magnet grasps firmly. It will just weakly hold a pin! What it can do boggled my little pea brain ...

Yeah, this thing can pick up a quarter! (The fridge magnet won't!)

I find no easy & clear explanation ... maybe @Pulsegleaner or @Ridgerunner can help me out.

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Not me Steve. Just call me Sgt. Schultz. I know nothing. NOTHING!

 

[digitS']

Carter: I hate to say this, Colonel, but I don't see any way we're going to get our hands on that briefcase.

Hogan: You're right, the situation is hopeless, there's no solution, we're faced with an absolute impossibility.

Newkirk: In that case, sir, why don't you tell us what you've thought of?

Hogan: Alright, here it is.

....

Steve

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Magnets vary in how strong they are, especially the kind that are pressed out of that black stuff (as opposed to a solid metal one) I keep a very strong one around, which is how I test potential meteorites (even stony meteroites have enough iron etc. to be attracted to a magnet) and at the gem show for my mom, to check if beads being sold as Hematite actually are (Hematite isn't magnetic, the Chinese synthetic version Hemalike is)

There are actually three non rare earth metals that are magnetic, Iron, Nickel and Cobalt. Modern quarters are attracted because they're made of copper nickel (as are the dimes half dollars and some of the dollar coins (not the new ones I think the Sacajawea and Presditent dollars are manganese brass, But Susan B. Antony dollars would be, as well as any Ike dollars made after 1971 (before then they and all those others were silver, so they won't take a magnet. Halves and Dollars until 1971 are actually silver on copper nickel, so I don't know with them)

1943 "silver" cents (actually zinc) are attracted too, since they have a steel core. which is why magnets are sometimes used as a auto check method to test 1943 copper error cents. So if someone offers you a 1943 copper cent and it sticks to a magnet don't buy it.

On the other hand, if you ever find a 1974 cent and it DOES stick, take it to a coin dealer for expertization, those are patterns and worth a lot of money (Just do it quietly, as patterns they are technically still government property and liable to confiscation, like 1933 St Gauden's Double Eagles ($20 gold pieces) and 1964 Peace Dollars

 

[Nyboy]

What is a 1943 silver cent in good to fair condition work ?

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Dunno, haven't collected modern American in decades. I can look it up when the next coin world shows up in a month or so.

 

[digitS']

Remember,

both the refrigerator magnet and the tape measure will hold a straight pin, or a safety pin, or a paper clip.

The fridge magnet will pick up the screw, or the 16d nail, or the brad. In fact, it will hold all of these objects at the same time!

The tape measure cannot pick up the screw, nail or even the tiny brad. It will lift and hold the quarter, in any position.

The fridge magnet cannot even move the quarter!

Steve

 

[digitS']

How about a battery?

... a battery to power your home? Heat, lights, appliances, the whole shebang .

Steve

CNN

 

[bobm]

We have been in Bend, Ore. since last Saturday. Our hotel provides breakfast, which has only half of the items as they did 2 years ago and some of the rest has been downsized. As one example, the hard boiled egg size has been reduced to medium. So instead of having one or two, I see people take 2, 3, or 4. So, we have to go out for lunch and dinner. In the " The Where to EAT Guide " 2 years ago the terms organic, natural, grass fed, vegetarian, raw fare were prominently featured in the ads. Today ... artisan, gourmet, foodie's choice , cuisine, hand crafted, chef's choice, voted best. Of the 72 restaurants advertised ... only one restaurant was advertised as strictly organic. Also , I read just about every one of the adds in the hand out, I saw only one item on the menu as being organic on their add.

 

[MontyJ]

This is interesting stuff to me. I made an electromagnet once for picking up nails out of the gravel driveway...it was actually a little scary, plugged into the extension cord and all. I used a magnet from an old door holder. It didn't work nearly as well as I thought it would and I disassembled it before I could electrocute myself and others.