What we know so far about Magnetism: 1. A magnet is any type of object that has a magnetic field 2. Most magnets today are man-made 3. Early cultures discovered rocks with magnetic properties but did not know how they worked.(Lodestone) 4. Magnetism is defined as a force of attraction or repulsion of objects to other objects. (This is specific to the arrangement of the electrons) 5. Magnets have magnetic “poles” which are regions where the pull or repulsion is strongest. 6. Magnetic poles always occur in pairs 7. Magnetic fields are areas where magnetic forces act around a magnet. 8. Ferro-magnetic or “ferous” materials are those that react easily to magnets. Examples: Fe, Steel, Ni, Co. 9. Magnets can be temporary or permanent. Magnets can also magnetize other objects. 10. Magnetic domains are regions in which individual atoms of magnetic fields are grouped together. 11. The Earth exerts magnetic forces and is surrounded by magnetic fields that are strongest at geographic North, and South poles. 12. Other planets exhibit magnetic forces: Jupiter, Saturn and even our own star the Sun.