Magnets

Two Poles

What is a magnet?
A magnet is an
object that attracts certain materials usually objects made of iron or steel.

 A magnet has two ends called

magnetic poles or just poles for short.

A magnets pull is strongest at

the poles.

 Poles are usually marked North

and South.

What is each end of a magnet

called?

Magnetic Forces

 Forces you feel when playing

with magnets can be pushes or pulls.

 A magnetic field is the space all

around a magnet where the force of the magnet can act.

You cant see the field.

 Forces between magnetic poles are like

forces between electric charges.

Opposite magnetic poles attract, and

like poles repel. North and South poles attract.

North and North poles repel or push

away. South and South poles repel or push away.

Where is the pull of a

magnet strongest?

Compass

The North and South

seeking poles of magnets have been helpful to people for hundreds of years.

People have used magnets to find direction.

 The first magnets used were made of

heavy natural material called a lodestone, which is a mineral magnetite.

A compass today uses a lightweight A compass needle points along an

magnetic needle that is free to turn.

imaginary line connecting the North and South poles. This is because earth is like a giant magnet.

Field lines of earths

magnetic field come together close to the planets North and South poles.

How does a compass

work?

The north-seeking pole of

the free-moving magnet in the compass points to Earths North Pole.

Summary

 Magnets are objects that attract

materials such as iron. Every magnet has two magnetic poles. Magnetic forces are caused by the interaction of magnetic fields. Earths magnetic field is like the field of a bar magnet. A compass needle interacts with earths magnetic field.

Review

How can you find the

poles of a magnet?

Find out where the

magnets pull is strongest.

What is a magnetic
field?

The place where

magnetic forces act.

Which type of magnet

has a field that is about the same shape as the magnetic field of the earth?

A bar

magnet

How many poles does a

magnet have?

Two

The End
Thank You any questions?

By: Rachel Tanner