A magnet is an object capable of attracting iron and generating a magnetic field in its surroundings. In a narrow sense, the term "magnet" refers to objects made from magnetite ore; in a broader sense, it refers to any object or device designed to generate a magnetic field. Acting as a magnetic dipole, a magnet is capable of attracting ferromagnetic substances-metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt.
Magnetic poles are identified by suspending a magnet on a thin thread: the pole pointing toward the geographic North is designated the North-seeking pole (or N-pole), while the pole pointing toward the geographic South is designated the South-seeking pole (or S-pole). (If one were to conceptualize the Earth as a giant magnet, the Earth's geomagnetic North Pole would actually be an S-pole, and its geomagnetic South Pole would be an N-pole.) Opposite poles of magnets attract one another, whereas like poles repel. Specifically, a South-seeking pole attracts a North-seeking pole, while a South-seeking pole repels another South-seeking pole, and a North-seeking pole repels another North-seeking pole. Magnets are classified into two categories: permanent magnets and non-permanent magnets. Natural permanent magnets are also known as lodestones, though permanent magnets can also be artificially manufactured (the strongest type being the neodymium magnet). Non-permanent magnets exhibit magnetic properties only under specific conditions; they are typically produced in the form of electromagnets-devices that utilize electric currents to intensify their magnetic fields. Based on the information presented above, we can conclude that magnetic polishing machines utilize artificially manufactured permanent magnets!
