Which types of materials are attracted to an electromagnet?

Materials that are attracted to an electromagnet are known as magnetic materials, specifically ferromagnetic materials. Common examples include iron, nickel, and cobalt.

These materials are attracted because they have magnetic domains—regions where atomic magnets are aligned. When placed near an electromagnet, these domains align in the direction of the magnetic field, causing the material to become temporarily magnetized and strongly attracted.

Among these, soft iron is most commonly used with electromagnets because it gets magnetized quickly and also loses its magnetism rapidly when the current is switched off.