2. their characteristics
Magnets and
their characteristics

3. Questions to think about…
What are the characteristics of a magnet?
What is a magnet?
What are some uses of magnets in everyday objects?

4. What is a magnet? Magnets come in different shapes and sizes.
Magnets can be made of iron or steel.
Magnets can have a pull or push effect on objects.
U-shaped magnet
bar magnet
button magnet
rod magnet
ring magnet
horseshoe magnet

5. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
A magnet attracts an object when the object is pulled towards the magnet.
What types of objects do magnets attract? What types of objects do magnets repel?

6. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Attracts magnetic materials
Objects made of metals like iron and steel are attracted to a magnet.
These are known as magnetic materials.
iron nails

7. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Attracts magnetic materials
Not all metals are magnetic. These 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.

8. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Attracts magnetic materials
All non-metals such as plastic, wood, rubber and glass cannot be attracted to a magnet.
These materials are called non-magnetic materials.
Can you think of other materials that are non-magnetic?

9. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Has two poles where attraction is the strongest
The ends of a magnet are called its poles.
A magnet has a North pole and a South pole.
The paperclips are mostly attracted to the poles of the magnet.

10. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Unlike poles attract and like poles repel
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.

11. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Unlike poles attract and like poles repel
The North pole and South pole of the magnets are pulled together.
This shows that unlike poles attract. N S

12. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Comes to rest in the North-South direction when freely suspended
This magnet is suspended by a thread and allowed to turn freely. It will eventually come to rest in the North-South direction.

13. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
Comes to rest in the North-South direction when freely suspended
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

14. What are the characteristics of a magnet?
A magnet is used to make a compass because it always points in the North-South direction.

15. What are some uses of magnets in everyday objects?
How do the chess pieces remain on the chess board?
A magnet is hidden inside the rubber tube around the refrigerator door. How does it keep the door tightly shut?

17. The end