If e-magnetism is billions of stronger that gravity then why a small magnet is not able to pick up a 1 ton...?

Question

iron object off the ground by overcoming the gravitational force between earth and the object.

Answer 1

the earth is so much bigger than the magnet that it overcomes the force-strength difference

ie  earth/magnet > em/grav

:P

Answer 2

In order for the electric force or the magnetic force to actually pick something up, it must be greater than the gravitational force. Many magnets have a field magnitude that isn't very powerful. Yes, electromagnetism is far more powerful than gravity, but you must consider what kind of charge properties the material has. Iron is magnetically charged, but its mass is very large. Gravity will win because of that.

Answer 3

Because materials have only a small ability to hold the force.  In further depth, the way that materials hold magnetism is at the atomic level (the electrons have a spin, which gives them a tiny amount of magnetism).  By alligning the magnetic atoms in the same direction, you get a magnetic force.  But it is difficult to allign all of them together, and the missallignments reduce the force to a small shadow of what it could be.  Think of a class trying to move out of a room. If everyone lines up, they can move out quickly, but if everyone started pushing and shoving in all directions, very few will get out.  There are some materials that can hold extremely strong magnetic fields, because they are better at maintaining the atomic allignment.

Answer 4

EM is stronger than gravitation but in this sense that if we put two parallel wires conducting 1 amp current each and 1 meter apart the resultant force is stronger than that of two 1kg masses 1 meter apart... What I mean that strength is in a rough sense per unit(1 columb,1 Amp, 1kg,...)