1. their characteristics
Magnets and
their characteristics
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

2. Questions to think about…
What characteristics do magnets have?
How do two magnets interact?
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

3. Magnets
Magnets are ‘special’ stones that interact with some metals. They are known as natural magnets.
There are also man-made magnets which are made of iron or steel.
natural magnets
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

4. What characteristics do magnets have?
A magnet attracts an object when the object is pulled towards the magnet.
What types of objects are attracted to a magnet? Which types are not attracted to a magnet?
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

5. What characteristics do magnets have?
Which materials are attracted to a magnet?
Objects made of metals like iron and steel are attracted to a magnet.
These are known as magnetic materials.
iron nails
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

6. What characteristics do magnets have?
Which materials are attracted to a magnet?
Not all metals are magnetic. They are called non-magnetic metals.
Metals like gold, aluminium, silver and copper cannot be attracted to a magnet.
Coins made of non-magnetic metals cannot be attracted to a magnet.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

7. What characteristics do magnets have?
Which materials are attracted to a magnet?
All non-metals such as plastic, wood, paper, glass and clay cannot be attracted to a magnet.
These materials are called non-magnetic materials.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

8. What characteristics do magnets have?
Which part of a magnet is the strongest?
The attraction of a magnet is strongest at its ends.
The ends of a magnet are called its poles.
The paperclips are mostly attracted to the poles of the magnet.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

9. What characteristics do magnets have?
Finding the North-South direction
What happens if you allow a magnet to turn freely?
When a magnet is allowed to turn freely, it will come to rest in the North-South direction.
This magnet comes to rest in the North-South direction when allowed to turn freely on a floating piece of styrofoam.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

10. What characteristics do magnets have?
Finding the North-South direction
This magnet is suspended by a thread and allowed to turn freely. It will eventually come to rest in the North-South direction.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

11. What characteristics do magnets have?
Finding the North-South direction
The pole pointing to the North is called the north-pole.
The pole pointing to the South is called the south-pole.
north-pole
south-pole
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

12. How do two magnets interact?
What happens when the north-poles of two bar magnets face each other?
The north poles of the magnets push each other apart. N S
When two like poles are brought together, they push each other away.
The same thing happens when the south-poles face each other.
This shows that like poles repel.
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

13. How do two magnets interact?
What happens when the north-pole of a magnet is brought near the south-pole of another magnet?
The poles of the magnets are pulled together.
This shows that unlike poles attract. N S
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

14. My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited

15. The end
My Pals are Here! Science © 2008 Marshall Cavendish (Singapore) Private Limited