Contents
What are magnets?
Magnets are materials that:
- attract iron
- create a magnetic field
- create magnetic forces
- can be used in determining directions
Discovery:
Magnets were discovered by a shepherd called Magnes who was once rearing his sheep and his stick that had some iron attached on the tip got stuck to a rock. This rock was later named as magnetite.
Magnetites are natural magnets.
Shapes:
magnets can be found/made in various shapes as:
- bar magnet
- horse shoe shape magnet
- cylindrical in shape
- ball ended type of magnets
Magnetic and Non-Magnetic substances:
- magnetic substances are the ones that get attracted to a magnet, for example: iron nails.
- non magnetic substances are the ones that don’t get attracted to such magnets, for example: steel
Poles:
- A magnet attracts pieces of iron or other magnets.
- A magnet consists of poles on either of its ends- north pole (through which magnetic field lines emerge out) and a south pole (through which magnetic field lines enter a magnet)
- Like poles repel each other
- Unlike poles attract each other
- A magnet induces magnetic properties to the substance that gets attracted to it
- it develops an opposite pole on the near end of the substance attracted to it
Magnets are used in our day to day life too.
Cautions:
- magnets should be kept in pairs
- they should be kept away from discs, computers, CDs, etc.