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What are Neodymium Spheres?

J. Winchester
J. Winchester

Neodymium spheres are magnetic spheres made of the element neodymium. The strongest permanent magnetic material, neodymium makes neodymium spheres extremely powerful for their weight and size. The spheres have limited practical uses but they are very popular as toys and can bring hours of entertainment. Neodymium magnets are often used in speakers, hard drives, and headphones, but they are usually not spherical when used for these purposes.

These spheres are rarely made only of neodymium. Neodymium by itself is brittle, and the spheres would be damaged easily if they were pure neodymium. They are usually made of an alloy of iron and neodymium, which is significantly stronger than pure neodymium. The spheres are also usually coated in nickel or chrome, which makes them shinier and more durable. Neodymium is a rare earth metal, which can make neodymium spheres expensive.

Neodymium spheres can be stacked to make a magnetic cube.
Neodymium spheres can be stacked to make a magnetic cube.

Neodymium spheres are mostly used as novelty items. They are usually sold as a set with a large number of spheres. With a large set of spheres, it is possible to make many designs, such as bracelets, necklaces, and cubes. They are often used as desk toys for office workers because they provide entertainment and can also be used for practical purposes such as paper weights.

These spheres are also often used in educational environments to help demonstrate the principles of magnetism. They can also easily be used to illustrate the atomic structure of some elements and molecules. These spheres can also be used in magnetic linear accelerators (also known as Gauss rifles), which can be entertaining and educational. Magnets can be harmful to computers, so it is important to keep them away from computers and televisions.

Even though neodymium spheres are toys, it is important to realize that they are not for children. Magnetic spheres are surprisingly dangerous and can even lead to death in the event of swallowing more than one. There have been many reported cases of children swallowing magnets, which then attach to each other and can cause serious damage to internal organs. Neodymium magnets are very powerful, so it is possible for skin to get caught in between them, which can be very painful. Magnetic spheres should be not be used by small children.

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    • Neodymium spheres can be stacked to make a magnetic cube.
      By: Pavel Losevsky
      Neodymium spheres can be stacked to make a magnetic cube.