Gadolinium question regarding magnetism...

Discussion in 'Physics & Math' started by Seattle, Aug 10, 2016.

  1. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    I have a small vial with two small pieces of gadolinium metal. My understanding was that at room temperatures it wouldn't be attracted by a magnet and that at slight lower temperatures (below 68 F) it would be attracted by a magnet.

    I've also seen a YouTube video where a piece of Gadolinium is put in a bowl of cool water (tap water with a few ice cubes in it) and it is magnetic and then it's put in some warm tap water and it loses all magnetism.

    I've tried this but my Gadolinium is magnetic at all of those temps. What am I missing?
     
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  3. el es Registered Senior Member

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  5. el es Registered Senior Member

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    If it is magnetic at room temperature, then you will have to deal with the residual magnetism first.
     
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  7. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    It is magnetic at room temperatures.
     
  8. el es Registered Senior Member

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    Heat it up with a hair dryer or hot water to see what the Curie point is.

    Sometimes with experiments at home, you soon find out you need a lab.

    Again, is it a magnet, or just ferromagnetic at room temp.

    The Curie point should be 20.25 degrees C.
     
  9. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    It's ferromagnetic at room temperature. I put it in boiling water and it was still ferromagnetic.
     
  10. el es Registered Senior Member

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    Now you need a lab to find out it"s composition to see what you really have.
     
  11. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    I agree. It must not really be gadolinium or not pure enough and it was supposed to be 99% pure.
     
  12. el es Registered Senior Member

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    In the video the guy has a nice sample he can magnetize when chilled.

    Can you attempt that with your samples.

    The key issue here may be if it can be magnetized when chilled and not at room temp, instead of the ferromagnetism issue.
     
  13. el es Registered Senior Member

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    Evidently Gadolinium is WEAKLY ferromagnetic at room temp. and can't be magnetized.

    When cooled it becomes MORE ferromagnetic and can be magnetized.
     
  14. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    This is an odd one. Considering where the Gd came from I'd find it unlikely that it was anything other than pure Gd. Yet, it doesn't behave as it seems it should.

    I put some Gd in ice water and it is attracted to a magnet. I put it is some very hot water and it is still just as attracted to a magnet. It behaves no differently than iron would.
     
  15. el es Registered Senior Member

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    That Gd is ferromagnetic at room temp. isn't that interesting. What is interesting is that you can't magnetize it at room temp. You have to cool it below room temp in order to magnetize it. You can magnetize iron at room temp.
     
  16. Seattle Valued Senior Member

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    Just for fun I just held a piece of Gd in a match flame and it was still just as strongly attracted to a magnet.
     
  17. el es Registered Senior Member

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    Let me put it this way:

    Take a sample of Gadolinium,Iron, and Nickel into a walk-in cooler. Use a magnetizing field on all three samples until they are magnets. Take the samples into your living room. The Gadolinium will stop being a magnet at room temperature while the Iron and Nickel will still be magnets.
     

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