Yasin Alkaifi 

Writing for Engineering (ENGL 21007)

Professor Julia Brown

02/24/2023

The following lab report was made on the youtube video “Monster magnet meets computer…” 

The Effect of a Neodymium Magnet on Electronics

Abstract: In this report, we aim to test the effect of a 6-inch neodymium magnet on different types of electronics including a PDA calculator, TV, and computer. The results showed that the effect of the magnet varied for different types of electronics. The PDA calculator was unaffected by the magnet, however, the TV and computer showed some effects, with the computer being severely impacted at close distances to the magnet. The report concludes by explaining the reason for the effect of the magnet on the TV and computer, which is due to the use of an electron beam in the TV and the storage of data in magnetic media in the computer. we hypothesize that the neodymium magnet will have some effect on the TV and computer due to their use of magnetic components, but the PDA calculator will be unaffected as it does not have any magnetic components.

Introduction: The purpose of this experiment was to test the effect of a 6-inch neodymium magnet on different types of electronics. The neodymium magnet is a type of rare earth magnet and is known to be one of the strongest magnets in the world. The magnet was tested on a PDA calculator, TV and computer to see how each device was affected by its magnetic field. Based on prior knowledge of the effect of magnets on electronic devices, We predict that the neodymium magnet will produce an impact on the functioning of the TV and computer since they incorporate magnetic components in their design. However, we hypothesize that the PDA calculator will not be affected as it does not contain any magnetic components. We also predict that the effect of the magnet on the computer will be more severe compared to the TV, as the computer stores data in magnetic media which is more susceptible to damage from magnetic fields.

Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted using a 6-inch neodymium magnet and three types of electronics, a PDA calculator, TV, and computer. The PDA calculator was tested by placing it on top of the magnet and observing any changes in its behavior. The TV was tested by placing the magnet at various distances from the screen, and observing any changes in the image displayed on the screen. The computer was tested by placing the magnet at various distances from the monitor, and observing any changes in the screen and the performance of the computer. 

PDA calculator: tested at zero distance and directly on top of the magnet. 21-inch TV: tested at 30 cm, 150 cm, and zero distance from the magnet. Computer: tested at 1 meter, 60 cm, 8 cm, and 4 cm from the magnet.

Results: The results showed that the PDA calculator was unaffected by the magnet and continued to work normally even when placed directly on top of the magnet. The TV was affected by the magnet, and the image displayed on the screen changed when the magnet was placed close to the TV 30 cm. The computer was severely impacted by the magnet, and its performance was affected at close distances (8 cm) to the magnet, leading to a loss of data.

Discussion: The reason for the effect of the magnet on the TV and computer is due to the use of an electron beam in the TV and the storage of data in magnetic media in the computer. The electron beam in the TV is drawn using electrons that have an electric charge and therefore act in a magnetic field. The magnetic field of the neodymium magnet causes the electrons to follow it, which results in a change in the image displayed on the screen. The computer’s performance is affected by the magnet because the data stored in magnetic media is affected by magnetic fields.

One limitation of the method used in this experiment is that only three types of electronics were tested. To further confirm the results, it would be beneficial to test a wider range of electronic devices to see if the effects observed in the TV and computer are consistent across other devices that use magnetic media or an electron beam.

Conclusion: The results of this experiment showed that the effect of a neodymium magnet on electronics varies depending on the type of device. The PDA calculator was unaffected by the magnet, while the TV and computer were affected, with the computer being severely impacted at close distances to the magnet. The reason for this effect is due to the use of an electron beam in the TV and the storage of data in magnetic media in the computer. This experiment highlights the importance of keeping magnets away from electronic devices to avoid potential damage.

Works Cited 

Brainiac75, director. YouTube, YouTube, 5 Jan. 2014,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yEu2R1gYSs. Accessed 13 Feb. 2023.