| Are you wondering “What is gauss?” or | | | | (strength) of a magnet is largely a function of what the |
| “What is bipolar?” If so, I will try to answer | | | | magnet is made of. |
| a few of your questions. | | | | A great number of materials can be made into |
| Firstly, what is a magnet anyway? A magnet is | | | | magnets. Typical permanent magnets include ceramic |
| basically any material that exerts a magnetic field. | | | | magnets, plastic magnets, hematite magnets, and |
| There are two basic types: permanent magnets and | | | | neodymium magnets. The last of these, neodymium |
| electromagnets. Electromagnets generate magnetic | | | | magnets (also known as rare earth magnets), exert |
| fields using electric currents. Permanent magnets, on | | | | extremely powerful magnetic fields – so strong, |
| the other hand, are materials that generate magnetic | | | | in fact, that a neodymium magnet the size of a penny |
| fields on their own and never lose their strength. Most | | | | can sometimes lift hundreds of pounds with the force |
| magnetic therapy products use permanent magnets. | | | | of its magnetic field! |
| Magnetic flux density is a measure of the strength of | | | | The size of a magnet also plays a significant role in |
| the magnetic field produced by a magnet. Gauss | | | | determining the magnet’s therapeutic strength. |
| (symbol: G) is a convenient unit to use when talking | | | | The same neodymium magnet that can lift hundreds |
| about the kinds of magnets that the average person is | | | | of pounds with its magnetic field may in fact not even |
| used to. To give you an idea of what a gauss is, your | | | | be able to penetrate more than a few inches into the |
| typical refrigerator magnet exerts a magnetic field of | | | | human body due to its small size. It is the combination |
| about 10 gauss. Magnetic therapy products tend to use | | | | of the strength (magnetic flux density) and size of the |
| magnets that range from a few hundred gauss to | | | | magnet that determines the therapeutic strength of a |
| over ten thousand gauss. The magnetic flux density | | | | particular magnet. |