Magnets

All magnets have two ends called POLES There is a NORTH pole and a SOUTH pole SN

Two magnets can attract each other… N N S S N

…if ‘unlike’ poles face each other N S N S

…or repel each other N S S N

if ‘like poles’ are facing each other N S N S

A magnet is surrounded by a magnetic field S N

We can see this using iron filings

A magnetic material will shield the paper clip from the magnetism of the magnet and the paper clip will fall

Which materials are magnetic? Magnetic Magnetic Non-magnetic Non-magnetic iron iron wood wood steel steel paper paper aluminium aluminium copper copper

The earth has a magnetic field: … almost as if the Earth had a big magnet buried in it A compass is a magnet and lines up with the Earth’s magnetic field

Plotting a magnetic field N S

1.Put the plotting compass next to the North pole 2.Draw a pencil dot next to the arrow 3.Move the compass to the pencil dot 4.Do the same again 5.Keep on doing this till you get to the South pole 6.Then join the dots to make a field line 7.Do the same again from a different starting place How to plot a magnetic field