The quick answer
A magnet pulls things made of iron or steel with an invisible force called a magnetic field. Every magnet has a north and a south pole. Opposite poles pull together, and the same poles push apart.
TankiRanki, how does a fridge magnet hold up my drawing without any glue?
RankiIt uses an invisible pull. It feels a bit like magic, but it is science. Let’s find out!
An invisible pull
A magnet can pull some things towards it without touching them. The space around a magnet where this pull works is called its . You cannot see it, but you can see what it does.
Hold a paper clip close to a magnet. It jumps across the gap and sticks. The pull is strongest near the magnet. It gets weaker as you move further away.
Which things stick?
Magnets pull things that contain . Steel is mostly iron, so it sticks too. Paper clips, nails and many food tins are made of steel. But lots of other things do not stick at all.
- These stick: iron, steel, nickel and cobalt.
- These metals do not stick: aluminium, copper, gold and silver.
- These do not stick either: wood, plastic, glass, paper and rubber.
The pull can even go through things. A fridge magnet holds your drawing through the paper.
North and south poles
Every magnet has two ends called . One is the north pole and the other is the south pole. The pull is strongest at the poles.
Put two magnets together and something funny happens. A north pole and a south pole pull towards each other. Scientists say they . Two north poles push each other away, and so do two south poles. Scientists say they .
TankiSo if I cut a magnet in half, do I get a north piece and a south piece?
RankiNo. You get two smaller magnets, and each one has its own north and south pole. Magnets are stubborn like that!
The Earth is a giant magnet
Deep inside the Earth, there is hot, melted iron that slowly moves around. Scientists think this moving metal turns our whole planet into a giant magnet.
That is why a works. A compass has a thin magnet shaped like a needle. The needle can spin freely, so it lines up with the Earth’s magnetic field. One end always points north. Sailors and explorers have used compasses to find their way for hundreds of years.
The first compasses were made in China about 2,000 years ago. They used , a rock that is a natural magnet.
Try it
Go on a magnet hunt
You need
What to do
- Draw two columns on your paper. Call them “Sticks” and “Does not stick”.
- Walk around your home or classroom with the magnet.
- Gently touch the magnet to spoons, keys, doors, toys and anything else you find.
- Keep the magnet away from screens, computers and cards.
- Write each thing in the right column. Which ones surprised you?
TankiSo magnets pull iron, opposite poles pull together, and the Earth is one big magnet.
RankiYes. Which means you are standing on the biggest magnet you will ever meet.
Big words
- magnetic field
- The invisible space around a magnet where its pull works.
- iron
- A strong grey metal. Magnets pull it very well.
- poles
- The two ends of a magnet, called north and south.
- attract
- To pull towards each other.
- repel
- To push away from each other.
- compass
- A tool with a magnetic needle that always points north.
- lodestone
- A rock that is a natural magnet.
Quick quiz
1. Which of these does a magnet pull?
Steel is mostly iron, and magnets pull iron.
2. What happens when two north poles meet?
The same poles repel, so two north poles push each other away.
3. Why does a compass needle point north?
The needle is a magnet, so it turns to line up with the Earth’s magnetic field.
For parents and teachers
The Earth’s magnetic field comes from moving molten iron in the outer core, a process scientists call the geodynamo. Very small, strong magnets, such as those in some toys, are dangerous if swallowed, so keep them away from younger children. You could make a simple compass together by stroking a needle with a magnet and floating it on a piece of cork in a bowl of water.
Pictures marked “AI generated” were made with AI tools. Ranki and Tanki are AI generated characters. Found a mistake? Write to info@pr-geo.com and we will fix it.
