Life is not complete without refrigerator magnets.
- Refrigerator magnets are decorative objects that can be magnetically attached to flat metal surfaces such as fridges.
- ‘Refrigerator magnets’ are also known as ‘fridge magnets’.
- Refrigerator magnets are often used for decorative purposes as well as to hold objects in place, such as paper for convenience or as a reminder.
- There is a very large diversity of refrigerator magnets, with various colours, images, designs, shapes and sizes.
- The magnetic part of a refrigerator magnet is generally set out in a ‘Halbach array’, with both north and south poles in an alternate pattern on the same side, which adds to the magnet’s strength and is more cost effective.
- Refrigerator magnets are collected by numerous people; and the largest collection in the world is owned by Louise Greenfarb from the United States’ Nevada, and in 2013 the collection consisted of at least 35,000 magnets.
- The unofficial term for a refrigerator magnet collector is a ‘memomagnetist’, coined by an enthusiast from Russia.
- Originally, the magnets of refrigerator magnets where manufactured in the shape of a rectangular prism or cylinder, but they are commonly now thinner and often more flexible.
- Do-it-yourself refrigerator magnets can be easily made, due to the increasing availability of magnetic material suitable for this purpose, and it has become a common craft activity.
- Some refrigerator magnets can be used for educational purposes, especially those that depict letters, to make words, and these have been available since the mid 1900s.
Bibliography:
Refrigerator Magnets, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refrigerator_magnet
I really love collecting fridge magnets. They can just easily decorate your kitchen and create a vibrant aura. I definitely like your idea that they can be used for educational purposes like letters and shapes for small children. So it’s expected that when I will have my own children in the future, I will replace my funny fridge magnets with letters.