A magnet is a special material that has magnetic energy.
A magnet is able to attract or repel some materials.
Watch this video to see how a maget attracts and repels another magnet:
Materials that can be attracted by a magnet are known as magnetic materials.
Examples of magnetic materials are:
Here is an illustration of a magnet attracting some iron nails.
Non-magnetic materials on the other hand cannot be attracted by a magnet.
Metals such as these are magnetic
The materials below are non magnetic
In the image below, identify the two non-magnetic materials that you can see?
If a mixture of a magnetic material is to be separated from non-magnetic material a magnet is commonly used.
Look at this picture of a mixture of iron filings and sand. The magnet is separating (by attraction) the iron filings from the sand:
The magnet is wrapped in plastic so the iron filings can easily be collected after separation.
Images/ Video Sources
Attraction_Repulsion_Magnets Video via YouTube (Blender IITB)
www.colouringbook.org
eLimu
www.galenaparkisd.com
1. From the following metals, select the pair where both metals are magnetic
A. Iron and Aluminum B. Steel and Iron
C. Copper and Steel D. Aluminum and Copper
2. Which one of the following substances will be attracted by a magnet?
A. Copper B. Steel C. Brass D. Aluminum
3. Which one of the following is NOT a correct method of determining whether a piece of metal is a magnet or not?
A. Repulsion between the metal and a magnet
B. The attraction between the metal and a magnet
C. The attraction between the metal and a pin
D. Suspending the piece of metal in the air to observe the direction it points to
4. Which one of the following materials can be attracted by a magnet?
A. Steel spoon B. Copper coin C. Aluminum plate D. Brass rod
