Question

What is Curie temperature?

Hint:

Curie temperature (\(T_C\)) = Temperature at which ferromagnetic material loses its magnetic properties and becomes paramagnetic.

Answer 1

The Curie temperature (denoted as \(T_C\)) is a critical temperature at which a ferromagnetic material undergoes a transition to a paramagnetic state. Below the Curie temperature, the material exhibits strong magnetic properties due to the alignment of its atomic magnetic dipoles. However, when the temperature exceeds the Curie point, thermal energy disrupts this alignment, causing the material to lose its ferromagnetic properties and become paramagnetic.
Ferromagnetic materials, such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, are characterized by their ability to retain magnetization even after the external magnetic field is removed. This property is a result of the alignment of individual magnetic moments within the material. However, as the temperature increases, the thermal energy becomes sufficient to overcome the alignment of these magnetic moments, resulting in the loss of ferromagnetic behavior.
The Curie temperature is unique to each material. For example, the Curie temperature of iron is around \(1043 \, \text{K}\), which means that at temperatures above this, iron will no longer exhibit ferromagnetic behavior and will behave as a paramagnetic substance.
In summary, the Curie temperature marks the boundary between the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic states, and it plays a crucial role in the study of magnetism and materials science.