Magnets

• Magnet


  A piece of metal that attracts objects containing metals like iron, nickel or cobalt
• Magnet


  • Made up of iron, nickel or cobalt
  • When placed in a box of iron filings, most of the filings stick at the two ends of the bar magnet
• Poles


  The two ends of a magnet
• The power of attraction of a magnet is strongest at its poles
• Suspending a magnet with a thread


  1. Magnet aligns itself in the north-south direction

  2. The pole pointing towards north is called the north pole

  3. The pole pointing towards south is called the south pole
• Magnet aligns itself according to the Earth's magnetic field
• Properties of a magnet


  • Attracts objects containing metals like iron, nickel or cobalt
  • Aligns itself in north-south direction
  • Poles always exist in pairs
  • Like poles repel, unlike poles attract
• Cutting a bar magnet does not separate its poles, the newly formed pieces will have their own north and south poles
• Bringing north poles of two magnets close

  Force of repulsion
• Bringing south poles of two magnets close

  Force of repulsion
• Bringing north pole of one magnet close to south pole of another

  Force of attraction
• A metal piece made of iron, nickel or cobalt will always get attracted by a magnet, but only a magnet can repel another magnet
• Magnets are made of a group of metals called ferromagnetic metals.