Magnets and Magnetic Force
Exploring attraction, repulsion, poles, and magnetic materials
Magnets and Magnetic Force
Exploring attraction, repulsion, poles, and magnetic materials
Science - Grade 2-3
- 1
A magnet is placed near a paper clip. The paper clip moves toward the magnet. What force is the magnet using?
A magnet can pull some metal objects without touching them.
The magnet is using magnetic force to pull the paper clip toward it. - 2
Circle the objects that a magnet will most likely attract: plastic spoon, iron nail, wooden block, steel paper clip.
A magnet will most likely attract the iron nail and the steel paper clip because they are made of magnetic metals. - 3
Two magnets have their north poles facing each other. Will they attract or repel? Explain your answer.
Same poles push away. Opposite poles pull together.
The magnets will repel because two same poles push away from each other. - 4
Two magnets have a north pole and a south pole facing each other. Will they attract or repel? Explain your answer.
The magnets will attract because opposite poles pull toward each other. - 5
A student tests a coin, a rubber eraser, a paper clip, and a leaf with a magnet. The magnet picks up the paper clip only. Which object is magnetic?
Magnetic objects are pulled by magnets.
The paper clip is magnetic because it was the only object picked up by the magnet. - 6
True or false: A magnet can pull some objects even when it is not touching them.
This is true because magnetic force can act across a small distance. - 7
A magnet picks up 8 paper clips when it is very close to them. It picks up only 2 paper clips when it is farther away. What does this show about magnetic force?
Think about how the number of paper clips changes when the magnet moves farther away.
This shows that magnetic force is stronger when the magnet is closer to the objects. - 8
Look at the list of materials: wood, plastic, iron, glass, steel. Write the two materials that magnets usually attract.
Magnets usually attract iron and steel because they are magnetic metals. - 9
A refrigerator magnet sticks to a refrigerator door but not to a wooden cabinet. Why does this happen?
Magnets do not stick to most wood.
The refrigerator door has magnetic metal in it, but the wooden cabinet does not. - 10
Draw arrows to show what will happen when two south poles of magnets face each other. Then explain your drawing.
The arrows should point away from each other because two south poles repel. - 11
A student says, 'All metal objects stick to magnets.' Is the student correct? Explain.
Magnets attract some metals, such as iron and steel.
The student is not correct because some metals stick to magnets, but not all metals do. - 12
A compass needle moves when it is near a magnet. What does this tell you about the compass needle?
This tells me that the compass needle is affected by magnetic force. - 13
Put these steps in order for testing if an object is magnetic: record what happens, bring a magnet near the object, choose an object to test.
First pick what you will test. Last write what you observe.
The correct order is choose an object to test, bring a magnet near the object, and record what happens. - 14
A magnet is covered with one sheet of paper. It can still pull a paper clip. What does this show about magnetic force?
This shows that magnetic force can pass through some thin materials, such as paper. - 15
Name one safe way to use magnets during a classroom science test.
Magnets can affect some electronic devices.
One safe way to use magnets is to keep them away from computers, tablets, and other electronic devices.