Magnets

What are Magnets?

Magnets are objects that can attract or pull other objects made of metals towards themselves.

Magnets cannot attract non-metallic objects like paper, wood, cloth, etc.

Most magnets are made of a metal called iron. Magnets attract metals like iron, steel, nickel, and cobalt.

Let’s dig in and learn more about magnets!

How Do Magnets Work?

All magnets have two ends – a north pole and a south pole.

• Magnets create an invisible field around them called a magnetic field.
• The same poles of two magnets will push away or repel when placed close to each other.
• The opposite poles of two magnets will pull close or attract when placed close to each other.
• The force of attraction or repulsion between magnets is called Magnetism.

Where Do We Use Magnets?

Magnets are used in different ways to make our lives easier. Typical uses of magnets at home:

• Refrigerator magnets help stick photos, notes, and vacation souvenirs to the fridge door.
• Magnets can be used to close handbags and backpacks.
• Some cell phones and watch chargers use magnets.
• Toys like dart boards use magnets, too.

Fun Fact: The biggest magnet we all know is our Earth, which has a magnetic core made of iron and nickel. 

Review

Let’s do a quick recap of what we learned about magnets today:

• The force of attraction and repulsion between magnets is called Magnetism
• When the South pole of a magnet comes close to the North pole of another magnet, the two magnets will attract or pull close
• The Earth is made up of a magnetic core. True or False? True
• When the North pole of a magnet comes close to the North pole of another magnet, the two magnets will repel or pull away