How do magnets work at a fundamental quantum level?

Magnets work because tiny parts inside them are all spinning and moving in the same way, like a group of dancers doing the same steps.

Imagine you have a toy that spins really fast, like a top, when it spins, it creates a kind of invisible force around it. That’s what happens inside magnets. Inside them, there are tiny particles called electrons, and they all spin in the same direction, creating an invisible push and pull, that's how magnets can attract or repel other magnets.

Think of each electron as a little dancer. If everyone on the dance floor spins clockwise, it creates one kind of force. If they all spin counterclockwise, it makes another kind of force. When two magnets get close, their forces either say “come closer” or “stay away,” depending on how their dancers are spinning.

Not everything is magnetic because not every material has these tiny dancers inside that can all spin the same way. Metals like iron have lots of these little dancers, and when they line up, poof! You get a magnet.