The primary sector involves activities that:

produce goods directly from nature

Which of these belongs to the secondary sector?

Manufacturing cloth from cotton in a factory

What are magnetic and non-magnetic materials?

Magnetic materials are those attracted towards a magnet, such as iron, nickel, and cobalt, while non-magnetic materials are not attracted, such as wood, plastic, and glass.

Where is the attracting power of a magnet strongest?

The attracting power of a magnet is strongest at its two ends, called the poles, where most iron filings cling.

How many poles does a magnet have, and can a single pole exist?

A magnet always has two poles, a North pole and a South pole; a single pole cannot exist, because breaking a magnet only produces smaller magnets each with both poles.

Why does a freely suspended magnet rest in the north-south direction?

Because the Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet, so a freely suspended magnet always comes to rest along the north-south direction.

What is a magnetic compass used for?

A magnetic compass is used for finding directions; its freely rotating needle comes to rest pointing in the north-south direction.

What happens when like poles and unlike poles of two magnets are brought close?

Like poles (North-North or South-South) repel each other, while unlike poles (North-South) attract each other.

Which property is a sure test of whether an object is a magnet?

Repulsion is the sure test: a true magnet will repel one pole of another magnet, whereas a piece of iron is only ever attracted.

Can the magnetic effect pass through non-magnetic materials?

Yes; a compass needle is still deflected when wood, cardboard, plastic, or glass is placed between it and a magnet, showing the magnetic effect acts through non-magnetic materials.

How can you make an iron needle into a magnet?

By stroking the needle many times in the same direction with one pole of a magnet, then testing it by seeing if it attracts iron filings or pins.

Exploring Magnets

Q: How should magnets be stored and cared for?

Magnets should not be heated, dropped, or hammered, should be kept away from mobile phones, and should be stored in pairs with unlike poles together and soft iron pieces across their ends.

Class 6 Science · Curiosity · Chapter 4

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Summary

This chapter introduces magnets through the story of a girl whose tale of ancient sailors leads her to discover the magnetic compass. It explains that the earliest magnets were naturally occurring lodestones, while today we use artificial magnets made in shapes such as bar, U-shaped, ring, cylindrical, disc, and spherical. Through activities, the chapter establishes that materials attracted to a magnet are magnetic materials (iron, nickel, cobalt and some of their combinations), while those not attracted are non-magnetic materials. When iron filings are sprinkled near a bar magnet, most cling near its two ends, showing that a magnet has two poles — a North pole and a South pole — where its attraction is strongest. A crucial idea is that poles always exist in pairs: breaking a magnet into pieces never gives a single pole. A freely suspended magnet always comes to rest along the north-south direction because the Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet; this property is used in the magnetic compass, whose needle points north-south, and was used historically in the Indian matsya-yantra. Students even make their own compass by stroking an iron needle with a magnet. Bringing two magnets together shows that like poles (North-North or South-South) repel while unlike poles (North-South) attract, and that repulsion is the sure test of a magnet. The magnetic effect can act through non-magnetic materials such as wood, cardboard, plastic, and glass placed between a magnet and a compass needle. The chapter closes with fun magnetic activities and important care tips: magnets should not be heated, dropped, or hammered, should be kept away from mobile phones, and should be stored in pairs with unlike poles together and soft iron pieces across the ends.

Magnetic and non-magnetic materialsPoles of a magnetFinding directions and the compassAttraction and repulsionMagnetic effect through materials and care of magnets

Key terms

Magnetic materials

Materials that are attracted towards a magnet, such as iron, nickel, and cobalt.

Non-magnetic materials

Materials that are not attracted towards a magnet, such as wood, plastic, rubber, and glass.

Poles of a magnet

The two ends of a magnet — the North pole and the South pole — where its attracting power is the strongest; poles always exist in pairs.

Magnetic compass

A small device with a freely rotating magnetic needle that comes to rest in the north-south direction and is used for finding directions.

Attraction and repulsion

Unlike poles of two magnets attract each other while like poles repel each other; repulsion is a sure test of a magnet.

Earth as a magnet

The fact that the Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet, which is why a freely suspended magnet rests along the north-south direction.

Extra questions & answers

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Materials that are attracted towards a magnet are called:

Flashcards & interactive practice