Fun with Magnets Notes

MAGNETS

Magnets are made of materials that possess attractive property and directional property.

Attractive Property:

Attracts objects made of iron and nickel or their mixtures/alloys

Iron fillings attracted to the bar magnet

Magnet attracting pieces of iron nails

Directional Property:

When suspended freely, magnet orients itself in one particular geographical direction

POLES OF A MAGNET

Every magnet has two poles, North pole (N) and South pole (S). The areas of greatest magnetic force inside the magnet are called magnetic poles.

Rules of Magnet:

1. Like poles repel each other. North pole of a magnet will repel north pole of another magnet. Similarly, south pole of a magnet will repel south pole of another magnet.

2. Unlike poles attract each other. North pole of a magnet will attract south pole of another magnet.

EARTH’S MAGNETISM

If a bar magnet, with its ends marked North and South, is freely suspended then the North end of the magnet seeks geographic North pole (which is actually Magnetic South Pole). Since earth is a huge magnet in itself the North pole is attracted by the South magnetic pole of the earth. Similarly, Earth’s magnetic north pole is geographic South pole. Earth’s geographical poles and magnetic poles are not the same.

The magnetic pole is found deep inside the northern and southern hemisphere of the earth (not on the Earth’s surface).

How a magnetic compass works:

A magnetic compass works because the Earth is like a giant magnet, surrounded by a huge magnetic field