在电磁学里，当两块磁铁或磁石相互吸引或排斥时，或当载流导线在周围产生磁场，促使磁针偏转指向，或当闭合电路移动于不均匀磁场时，会有感应电流出现于该电路中，这些都是与磁有关的现象。凡是与磁有关的现象也都会与磁场有关。

磁性是物质响应磁场作用的属性。每一种物质或多或少地会被磁场影响。铁磁性是最强烈、最为人知的一种磁性。由于具有铁磁性，磁石或磁铁会产生磁场。另外，顺磁性物质会趋向于朝着磁场较强的区域移动，即被磁场吸引；反磁性物质则会趋向于朝着磁场较弱的区域移动，即被磁场排斥；还有一些物质会与磁场有更复杂的关系，例如，自旋玻璃的性质、反铁磁性等等。外磁场对于某些物质的影响非常微弱。

Magnetism is a class of physical phenomena that are mediated by magnetic fields. Electric currents and the magnetic moments of elementary particles give rise to a magnetic field, which acts on other currents and magnetic moments. Every material is influenced to some extent by a magnetic field. The most familiar effect is on permanent magnets, which have persistent magnetic moments caused by ferromagnetism. The prefix ferro- refers to iron, because permanent magnetism was first observed in a form of natural iron ore called magnetite, Fe₃O₄. Most materials do not have permanent moments. Some are attracted to a magnetic field (paramagnetism); others are repulsed by a magnetic field (diamagnetism); others have a more complex relationship with an applied magnetic field (spin glass behavior and antiferromagnetism). Substances that are negligibly affected by magnetic fields are known as non-magnetic substances. These include copper, aluminium, gases, and plastic. Pure oxygen exhibits magnetic properties when cooled to a liquid state.