AFOQT Practice Test

Which materials naturally align electrons to form permanent magnets?

1. Helium and neon

2. Gold and silver

3. Iron, nickel, and cobalt

4. Aluminum and copper

The correct answer is: Iron, nickel, and cobalt

Permanent magnets are formed from materials that have a specific atomic structure, allowing their electrons to align in the same direction even in the absence of an external magnetic field. In the case of iron, nickel, and cobalt, these metals have unpaired electrons in their outer electron shells. This unpaired arrangement enables the magnetic moments of the electrons to align parallel to each other, resulting in a net magnetic field. When these materials are exposed to a magnetic field, the alignment of their electrons can be permanently set, thus transforming them into permanent magnets. This property is intrinsic to these metals, making them optimal for use in various applications where permanent magnets are required. Other materials such as helium, neon, gold, silver, aluminum, and copper lack the necessary electronic configurations and magnetization properties to produce permanent magnets. Helium and neon are noble gases that do not typically exhibit magnetic properties, while gold and silver are non-ferromagnetic metals. Aluminum and copper, though conductive, do not have the high magnetic permeability required for permanent magnetism, further distinguishing iron, nickel, and cobalt as the primary materials used for this purpose.