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.
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