How Things Work — Electricity & Magnets (VI–VIII) • Topic 3 of 3

Magnets & Their Properties

CTET recap: A magnet attracts magnetic materials — iron, nickel and cobalt (and steel, an iron alloy). Materials it does not attract (wood, plastic, rubber, copper, aluminium) are non-magnetic. Every magnet, however small, has exactly two poles — a North pole and a South pole — and the magnetic force is strongest at the poles. The poles cannot be separated: if you break a bar magnet in half, each piece becomes a complete magnet with its own North and South pole, so you can never obtain a single isolated pole (a magnetic monopole does not exist). The pole rule is the most-tested fact: like poles repel and unlike poles attract — so North–North or South–South push apart, while North–South pull together. Repulsion is the sure test of a magnet, because attraction alone could just be a piece of iron. A magnet also has the directive property: when suspended freely so it can rotate, it always comes to rest pointing in the North–South direction. This is exactly how a magnetic compass works — its tiny magnetic needle settles along North–South to show direction. Pedagogy & how it's tested: Scenario items describe two magnets pushing apart (identify like poles), a freely hanging magnet settling N–S (directive property/compass), or a broken magnet (still two poles). Misconceptions to flag: children believe a magnet attracts ALL metals (it does not attract copper, aluminium, gold or silver); they think the middle of the bar is as strong as the ends; and they expect a broken magnet to give a separate N and S piece. A safe activity: test household objects with a magnet and sort them into magnetic / non-magnetic.

✅ Solved examples

1. When the ends of two bar magnets are brought close, they push each other apart. The two ends facing each other must be:
Like poles (both North or both South). Like poles repel each other; unlike poles would have attracted. Repulsion is the sure test that both are magnets.
2. A bar magnet is broken into two pieces. Each piece will have:
Two poles — a North and a South pole. You can never isolate a single pole; every piece, however small, is a complete magnet with both poles.
3. A magnet is suspended freely by a thread so that it can rotate. It always comes to rest pointing:
In the North–South direction. This directive property is why a freely suspended magnet (a compass needle) is used to find direction.
4. From a tray of objects — an iron nail, a copper coin, a plastic button and a steel pin — which will a magnet attract?
The iron nail and the steel pin. Iron and steel are magnetic materials; copper and plastic are non-magnetic and are not attracted.

✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed

1. The number of poles in a single bar magnet is:
North and South.
Cannot be separated.
Two
2. A freely suspended magnet rests along the North–South line. This property is the basis of the:
A direction-finding device.
It has a magnetic needle.
Magnetic compass
3. Name two metals, other than iron, that are attracted by a magnet:
Not copper or aluminium.
Both are magnetic materials.
Nickel and cobalt
4. The surest test to confirm that a given bar is a magnet (and not just a piece of iron) is to look for:
Attraction alone is not enough.
Like poles do this.
Repulsion (a magnet repels a like pole)

📝 Topic test — 8 questions

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