magnetite
noun
mag·ne·tite
| \ ˈmag-nə-ˌtīt
\
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Definition of magnetite
: a black isometric mineral of the spinel group that is an oxide of iron and an important iron ore
Examples of magnetite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Basaltic lava, which erupts around 1,100 degrees Celsius (2,012 degrees Fahrenheit), contains magnetite, an iron oxide whose outermost electrons orient themselves along the Earth’s magnetic field. — Emily Toomey, Smithsonian, "Earth’s Magnetic Field Could Take Longer to Flip Than Previously Thought," 8 Aug. 2019 For his project, Ferreira added oil and magnetite to water and mixed in a solution emulating plastic waste in the ocean. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, "This Irish teenager may have a solution for a plastic-free ocean," 1 Aug. 2019 According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, many whales have been shown to have crystals of magnetite, an iron-oxide mineral, in their brains, which some experts believe help them sense the Earth’s magnetic field. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Georgia Beachgoers Help Save Pod of Stranded Pilot Whales," 19 July 2019 Oceanic crust, made of basaltic rock and rich in magnetite, is created at divergent plate boundaries, where the mantle is constantly coughing up new magma. — Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, "Plate Tectonics: The Slow Dance of Our Planet's Crust," 12 June 2019 The process helps turn rust into another iron compound, called magnetite. — New York Times, "Wired Bacteria Form Nature’s Power Grid: ‘We Have an Electric Planet’," 1 July 2019 And given plausible flows of groundwater, the model produced about as much magnetite as Curiosity has seen in the rocks in a thousand years or so. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "The secret to Mars’ past warmth could be beneath Curiosity’s wheels," 9 Aug. 2018 But price is always a consideration, so Block mentions magnetite as an alternative. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "Disrupting the Pentagon: Can the Air Force Learn To Love Startup Culture?," 12 Apr. 2019 There is some magnetite in the limestone, so this alternative mechanism can’t be ruled out. — Scott K. Johnson, Ars Technica, "New evidence would push life back to at least 3.95 billion years ago," 30 Sep. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magnetite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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