Summary
This short explainer covers how magnets work — poles, attraction and repulsion, and the invisible magnetic field around a magnet. A quick, concrete demo of forces that act at a distance.
Viewer safety
All ages
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Magnets can push or pull other objects without touching them.
- What are the two poles of a magnet called?
- When do two magnets attract, and when do they push apart?
- What kinds of materials does a magnet stick to?
- What is a magnetic field?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: magnet, pole, attract, repel, magnetic field.
Try it: Predict five objects a magnet will and won't stick to, then test them and check your guesses.