What causes magnetism at the atomic level?
Considering this, what causes magnetism inside the atom?
Generally magnetism is caused by the changes of an electric field -namely, an electric current. Subatomic spins set such a change. As they carry substantial electric fields, the spin of an electron, creates a rotation of an electric field which is an elementary current and in turn induces a magnetic field.
Hereof, what is the cause of magnetism?
Magnetism is caused by the motion of electric charges. Every substance is made up of tiny units called atoms. In substances such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, most of the electrons spin in the same direction. This makes the atoms in these substances strongly magnetic—but they are not yet magnets.
Modern theories of magnetism maintain that a magnetic field is produced by an electric charge in motion, and thus it is theorized that the magnetic field of a so-called “permanent” magnets such as lodestone is the result of electrons within the atoms of iron spinning uniformly in the same direction.