Most modern magnet materials have a“grain” in that they can be magnetized for maximum effect only through onedirection. This is the “orientation direction”, also known as the “easy axis”,or “axis”.

Unoriented magnets (also known as“isotropic magnets”) are much weaker than oriented magnets, and can bemagnetized in any direction. Oriented magnets (also known as “anisotropicmagnets”) are not the same in every direction – they have a preferred directionin which they should be magnetized.