Soft magnetic materials are magnetic materials that can be easily magnetized and demagnetized. They have low coercivity and low hysteresis loss, making them ideal for applications where frequent changes in magnetic polarity are required. In contrast, hard magnetic materials have high coercivity and high hysteresis loss, making them difficult to magnetize and demagnetize.

Soft magnetic materials have several characteristics that make them readily magnetizable in either direction:

1. Low coercivity: Coercivity is the amount of magnetic field required to demagnetize a material. Soft magnetic materials have low coercivity, which means that they can be easily demagnetized with a relatively small magnetic field. This allows them to be readily magnetized in either direction.

2. Low hysteresis loss: Hysteresis loss is the energy dissipated when a material is magnetized and demagnetized. Soft magnetic materials have low hysteresis loss, meaning that they do not dissipate much energy during the magnetization process. This makes them efficient for applications that require frequent changes in magnetic polarity.

3. High permeability: Permeability is a measure of how easily a material can be magnetized. Soft magnetic materials have high permeability, which means that they can be easily magnetized by an external magnetic field. This high permeability allows them to quickly respond to changes in the magnetic field and be magnetized in either direction.

4. Low eddy current losses: Eddy currents are circulating currents induced in a material when it is exposed to a changing magnetic field. Soft magnetic materials have low electrical conductivity, which reduces the eddy current losses. This further enhances their ability to be readily magnetized in either direction.

Overall, soft magnetic materials possess the necessary properties to be easily magnetized in either direction. Their low coercivity, low hysteresis loss, high permeability, and low eddy current losses make them suitable for a wide range of applications, including transformers, electric motors, and magnetic sensors.