NCERT Solutions Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets

F R E E S T U D Y M AT E R I A L F O R E V E R Y S T U D E N T

CLASS 6 · SCIENCE

NCERT Solutions

Chapter 4: Exploring Magnets

NCERT Textbook — Curiosity

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

61 – 78 10 43 English

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 49 pages

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

CLASS 6 · SCIENCE · CURIOSITY

NCERT Solutions — Chapter 4: Exploring Magnets
Complete NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets from the NCERT textbook
Curiosity. Every question of the chapter is answered — all seven Activities 4.1 to 4.7, the in-text question
bubbles from pages 62 to 72, the eleven questions of Let us enhance our learning and the five Learning
further projects — with the observation, the reason behind it and clear labelled diagrams of poles, attraction,
repulsion and the compass.

TEXTBOOK BOOK PAGES

Curiosity (Class 6) 61 – 78

SECTIONS QUESTIONS

10 43

MEDIUM

English

Activity 4.1: Let us explore — Pages 62 & 63
Section 4.1 Magnetic and Non-magnetic Materials

ACTIVITY

Q1 Do magnets stick to objects made of certain materials only?

Yes. A magnet is fussy about what it will hold on to. It sticks only to objects made of a few
special materials — mainly iron, and also nickel and cobalt (and mixtures such as steel that
contain them).

Magnet + iron nail → sticks

Magnet + steel U-clip → sticks

Magnet + wooden pencil → does not stick

Magnet + rubber eraser → does not stick

So the test is not “is it hard?” or “is it shiny?” or even “is it a metal?”. A copper wire and an
aluminium foil are metals, yet a magnet ignores both. What matters is which metal it is.

Page 1 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why it happens: only in iron, nickel and cobalt can the tiny magnetic parts inside
the material line up when a magnet comes near. Once they line up, the object itself
behaves like a small magnet for that moment and is pulled in. In wood, plastic or
glass nothing lines up, so nothing is pulled.

Try This: Run a magnet along the edge of a one-rupee coin, a steel spoon, a plastic
bottle cap and a brass key. You will quickly build a feel for which materials answer
the magnet and which stay silent.

Page 2 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q2 Predict which of the objects will stick to the magnet. Write your prediction in Table
4.1. Now hold a magnet in your hand and bring it near the objects one by one (Fig.
4.3). Observe which of the objects stick to the magnet. Record your observations in
Table 4.1.

Wooden block Screws Eraser Paper clip Electric wire

Key Sharpener Iron nails Matchbox Sketch pen

Glass tumbler Scissors Candle Plastic scale Stapler

Pencil Cloth Magnet

Fig. 4.3, page 63 — redrawn sketch of the objects you test with the magnet.

Page 3 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
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a g l Page 4 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

NAME OF THE MATERIAL THE OBJECT PREDICTION OBSERVATION
OBJECT IS MADE OF (YES/NO) (YES/NO)

Pencil Wood No No

Eraser Rubber No No

Iron nail Iron Yes Yes

Safety pin / U-clip Steel (contains iron) Yes Yes

Scale Plastic No No

Bangle Glass No No

Sharpener blade Steel Yes Yes

Key Brass Yes (a common wrong No
guess)

Aluminium foil Aluminium Yes (a common wrong No
guess)

Notebook page Paper No No

Tip: Write the prediction column in pencil before you touch the magnet to anything.
The whole point of the activity is to find out where your guess and nature disagree
— the brass key and the aluminium foil are the two that usually surprise the class.

Q3 Was your prediction correct for all objects? Which materials stuck to the magnet?
What conclusion can you draw?

Usually not for all of them. Most students predict correctly for wood, rubber, plastic, glass and
paper, but go wrong for the shiny metals — a brass key, an aluminium foil or a copper wire looks
like it “should” stick, and it does not.
The objects that stuck were the ones made of iron or steel — the nail, the U-clip, the safety
pin, the blade, the iron key.
Conclusion:

Page 5 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Materials attracted by a magnet = magnetic materials (iron, nickel, cobalt)

Materials not attracted by a magnet = non-magnetic materials (wood, rubber, plastic, glass,

paper, copper, aluminium)
A magnet does not attract everything — it attracts only magnetic materials.

Why the shiny-metal guess fails: “metal” is a huge family. Only three ordinary
metals — iron, nickel and cobalt — are magnetic. Copper, aluminium, brass, gold and
silver are metals too, but a magnet has no hold on them.

Page 6 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q4 Which materials listed in Table 4.1 were found to be non-magnetic?

NAME MATERIAL WHICH THE OBJECT IS ATTRACTED BY THE MAGNET
OF THE MADE OF (YES/NO)
OBJECT (PLASTIC/WOOD/GLASS/IRON/ANY
OTHER) PREDICTION OBSERVATION

Pencil Wood

Eraser Rubber

Table 4.1, page 63 — copy it into your notebook and fill in the blank cells.

From the table above, the non-magnetic materials were:

Wood — the pencil
Rubber — the eraser
Plastic — the scale
Glass — the bangle
Paper — the notebook page
Brass — the key
Aluminium — the foil

None of these was pulled towards the magnet, not even a little, however close the magnet was
brought.

Page 7 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Did you know? This simple difference is used every day at scrap yards and recycling
centres. A big magnet lifts out all the iron and steel from a mixed heap of waste and
leaves the plastic, glass and aluminium behind — sorting in seconds what would
take hours by hand.

Activity 4.2: Let us investigate — Page 64
Section 4.2 Poles of Magnet

ACTIVITY

Q1 Do all parts of a magnet attract magnetic materials equally?

No. The pull of a magnet is not the same everywhere along it. It is strongest at the two ends
and weakest in the middle.
You can feel this yourself: touch the middle of a bar magnet to a heap of pins and lift it — hardly
any pins come up. Touch an end to the same heap and a whole bunch clings on.

Why it happens: the magnetic strength of a magnet is concentrated at its two ends.
These strong ends are called the poles of the magnet. The region near the middle is
almost neutral, so a magnetic object placed there feels very little pull.

Q2 Spread some iron filings on a sheet of paper. Place a bar magnet over them. Tap the
paper and observe carefully what happens to the iron filings. Do you observe
anything special about the way they stick to the magnet? Do the iron filings stick all
over the magnet uniformly? Or do the iron filings stick more at some places?

Observation: the filings do not spread evenly. They gather in two thick, bushy clumps at the
two ends of the bar magnet, and only a few stray filings are seen along the middle.

Page 8 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

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Fig. 4.4 redrawn: iron filings pile up at the two ends of a bar magnet and thin out towards the middle.

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

N S

The pattern the filings make on a card above a bar magnet. The curved lanes leave the North pole,
loop around and come back into the South pole — and they are packed most tightly at the poles,
which is why the pull is strongest there.

Q3 If we repeat this activity with magnets of other shapes, do we get the same result?

Yes — the result is the same for every shape. Whatever the shape of the magnet, most of the
iron filings collect at its poles.

SHAPE OF MAGNET WHERE THE FILINGS CROWD

Bar magnet At the two flat ends

U-shaped (horseshoe) magnet At the two open tips, which are close together

Ring magnet On the two flat faces (the top face and the bottom face)

Disc / cylindrical magnet On the two flat circular faces

Page 10 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the shape does not change the rule: shape decides only where the poles sit,
not whether they exist. Every magnet, of every shape and size, has exactly two poles,
and the filings always mark them out for you. That is why the “More to know!” box at
the end of the chapter says that the poles occur in pairs no matter what the magnet
looks like.

Tip: A U-shaped magnet lifts more pins than a bar magnet of the same material
because both its poles face the same way and pull on the same heap together.

Q4 Can we find a magnet with a single pole?

No. A magnet with a single pole cannot exist. North and South poles always occur in pairs.
Test it: take a bar magnet marked N and S, and break it in two.

One magnet: N ——— S

Break it → two magnets: N ——— S and N ——— S

Break each again → four magnets, each still with both poles

However small the piece, it always has a North pole and a South pole.

Why it happens: a magnet is not made of a “north lump” joined to a “south lump”.
Every tiny part of the material is itself a complete miniature magnet with two ends,
all lined up in the same direction. Cut anywhere and you simply expose the two ends
of the smaller stack — so a fresh N and a fresh S appear at the cut.

Did you know? Scientists have searched for a lone magnetic pole (a magnetic
monopole) for over a hundred years and have never found one. So far, nature has
kept the rule with no exceptions.

Activity 4.3: Let us experiment — Pages 65 & 66

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Section 4.3 Finding Directions

ACTIVITY

Q1 Now again rotate the magnet by giving a gentle push at its one end and wait till it
comes to rest. Does the magnet rest along the same line?

Yes. No matter how many times you spin the freely suspended bar magnet, it always settles
back along the same line that you had marked on the ground.
How to do it neatly:

1. Tie the thread exactly at the middle so that the magnet hangs level (horizontal).
2. Hang it away from iron almirahs, iron grills and mobile phones — they will pull the magnet
off course.
3. Let it stop swinging on its own; do not stop it with your hand.
4. Mark the two end points on the paper below, join them, and repeat two or three times.

Trial 1 → magnet rests along line PQ
Trial 2 → same line PQ

Trial 3 → same line PQ

Conclusion: a freely suspended magnet always comes to rest along one fixed line.

Why it happens: the Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet. Its magnetism
turns the hanging magnet until the magnet's North pole faces the Earth's north.
Once it is in that position the turning stops, so every trial ends the same way.

Q2 What direction does this line indicate along which the magnet rests? How can we
find it out?

The line is the north-south line. A freely suspended magnet always rests along the north-
south direction.
How to check it without a compass: use the Sun. The Sun rises roughly in the east and sets
roughly in the west. Stand in the morning with your right arm pointing towards the rising Sun;
then you face north and your back is to the south. Compare this with the line you marked — the
two agree.

Page 12 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

N
NW NE

W E

SW SE

S
The four main directions. The red half of the needle points north, the blue half points south — and
east lies to the right when you face north.

Why this is so useful: once you know one direction for certain, you know them all.
Sailors before the compass used the Pole Star (Dhruva tara) at night, but on a cloudy
night — exactly Reshma's problem in the story — the stars are hidden. A magnet
works on a cloudy night, in fog and even below deck.

Tip: The end that turns towards north is called the north-seeking pole or simply the
North pole; the other end is the south-seeking pole or South pole.

Page 13 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

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Observation: the iron bar stops wherever it happens to stop. It may rest east-west, or slanting,

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What you need: an iron sewing needle, a bar magnet, a piece of cork, a glass bowl and water.

a s em1. Magnetise the needle. Lay the needle on a wooden table. Touch one pole of the bar
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direction and always with the same pole. Lift the magnet away at the end, bring it back to
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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

3. Float it. Push the needle horizontally through the cork and float the cork in a bowl of water,
keeping the needle above the water level.
4. Read it. When it stops turning, the needle lies along the north-south line. Your compass is
ready.

Why the stroking must be one-way: each stroke nudges the tiny magnets inside
the steel needle to face the same way. Strokes in alternating directions would undo
each other, and the needle would stay unmagnetised.

Did you know? Long before the modern compass, Indian sailors used the matsya-
yantra (or machchh-yantra) — a magnetised fish-shaped piece of iron floating in a
vessel of oil. Oil was used instead of water because it is thicker and steadies the fish
against the rocking of the ship.

Activity 4.4: Let us construct — Page 67
Section 4.3 — Making your own magnetic compass

ACTIVITY

Q1 When the needle comes to rest, your magnetic compass is ready for use. Note the
direction in which either side of the needle points. Rotate the cork gently and wait
till it stops rotating. Repeat this a few more times. Do the ends of the needle always
point in the same direction?

Yes. However many times you spin the cork, the needle swings a little and then settles with the
same end pointing north and the other end pointing south, every single time.

Spin 1 → needle rests along north-south

Spin 2 → same ends, same directions

Spin 3 → same again

The magnetised needle is behaving exactly like a freely suspended bar magnet.

Why the cork and water are needed: the needle must be free to turn with almost
no friction. Floating on water lets it swing easily in the horizontal plane, and the
Earth's magnetism then does the rest. Notice that the needle also stays horizontal
because it is balanced through the cork.

Page 15 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Check it yourself: Bring a steel scissors close to your floating compass. The needle
swings away from north. Take the scissors away and it returns. That is why a
compass must be read away from iron objects.

Q2 What happens when we bring two magnets closer to each other?

It depends entirely on which poles face each other — and there are only two possible results.

North pole facing South pole → attraction (they pull together)

North facing North, or South facing South → repulsion (they push apart)

Unlike poles attract; like poles repel.

Activity 4.5 on the next page shows this beautifully: a bar magnet resting on round pencils rolls
towards the approaching magnet in one case and away from it when the second magnet is
turned around.

Why the pencils are used: they act as rollers, so the magnet on top can move with
hardly any friction. Even the gentle push or pull of a magnet held a few centimetres
away is then enough to set it rolling — proving that magnets act on each other
without touching.

Activity 4.5: Let us experiment — Page 68
Section 4.4 Attraction and Repulsion between Magnets

ACTIVITY

Q1 Now bring one end of magnet B near the end of magnet A placed on the pencils.
Make sure that the two magnets do not touch each other. Observe what happens.

Observation: magnet A rolls towards magnet B, even though the two never touch. In Fig. 4.8a
the South pole of magnet A faces the North pole of magnet B — unlike poles — so they attract.

Page 16 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Unlike poles face each other → ATTRACTION

N S N S

Like poles face each other → REPULSION

N S S N

Top: the S pole of one magnet faces the N pole of the other, so the magnets pull together. Bottom:
two S poles face each other, so the magnets push apart.

Why this proves action without contact: magnet A is on rollers and B never
touches it, yet A moves. The push and the pull travel across the air gap. This is what
makes magnetic force different from the everyday force of a hand shoving a box.

Page 17 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q2 Next, bring the other end of magnet B near the same end of magnet A (Fig. 4.8b).
Does the magnet A on the pencils begin to move? Does it always move in the
direction of the approaching magnet? What do these observations suggest?

Magnet A Magnet A

N N

S S

N S
Magnet B Magnet B

S N

(a) (b)

Fig. 4.8, page 68 — redrawn sketch. (a) One end of magnet B is brought near magnet A;
(b) the other end of magnet B is brought near the same end of magnet A.

Yes, magnet A begins to move — but this time it rolls away from magnet B.
No, it does not always move towards the approaching magnet. The direction of the
movement is decided by the poles that face each other.

POLES FACING EACH OTHER WHAT MAGNET A DOES NAME OF THE EFFECT

South of A ← North of B (Fig. 4.8a) Rolls towards B Attraction

South of A ← South of B (Fig. 4.8b) Rolls away from B Repulsion

What these observations suggest:

Unlike poles (North–South) attract each other.

Like poles (North–North or South–South) repel each other.

Page 18 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
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Tip: Remember it as “opposites pull, sames push”. Only the flipping of magnet B

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changed between the two pictures — everything else stayed the same, so the poles
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Observation: the iron bar is attracted by both ends of the magnet. Bring the North pole near
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it — it is pulled. Bring the South pole near it — it is pulled again. It is never pushed away.

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Why the iron bar never repels: the iron bar has no fixed poles. When a magnetg
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pole you offer, you get attraction.
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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Section 4.4 — A compass needle and a magnet

ACTIVITY

Q1 The compass needle is also a magnet. Will it show the same behaviour if a magnet
is brought closer to it?

Yes. The compass needle is a small, freely rotating magnet, so it obeys exactly the same rules as
a bar magnet — its North pole is repelled by another North pole and attracted by a South pole.
The only difference is that the needle is very light and turns on a sharp pin, so instead of sliding
away or moving closer as a whole, it simply swings round (deflects).

Why the needle is a good detector: because it is so free to move, even a weak
magnetic influence makes it turn. That is why a compass, and not a heavy bar
magnet, is used to test whether a magnetic effect is present.

Q2 Now slowly bring North pole of the bar magnet close to the North pole of the
compass needle as shown in Fig. 4.9a. Observe the compass needle carefully. What
do you observe? Does the needle deflect? If yes, in which direction?

N

S N W E

Bar magnet
S

Magnetic compass

Fig. 4.9a, page 69 — redrawn sketch: the North pole of the bar magnet is brought near
the North pole of the compass needle.

Yes, the needle deflects. The North pole of the needle moves away from the approaching
North pole of the bar magnet — the needle swings round until its North end points elsewhere.

Page 20 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Magnet's N pole → brought near needle's N pole

Like poles → repulsion

The needle's North end turns away from the magnet.

Why it does not simply run away: the needle is pinned at its centre, so it cannot
travel — the only thing it can do with a push is rotate. As soon as the bar magnet is
taken away, the Earth's magnetism brings the needle back to the north-south line.

Tip: Move the bar magnet in slowly. If you shove it in quickly the needle spins wildly
and you cannot see which way it went first.

Q3 Now repeat the above step with the South pole of the bar magnet. Do you observe
any difference this time?

Yes — the deflection is now in the opposite sense. The North pole of the compass needle
moves closer to the approaching South pole of the bar magnet (Fig. 4.9b).

POLE OF THE BAR MAGNET BROUGHT POLES BEHAVIOUR OF THE
NEAR THE NEEDLE'S NORTH POLE INVOLVED NEEDLE'S NORTH END

North pole (Fig. 4.9a) N and N — like Turns away (repelled)
poles

South pole (Fig. 4.9b) S and N — unlike Turns towards the magnet
poles (attracted)

So the compass needle can tell you which pole of an unmarked magnet is which — the pole
that pushes the red (north) end of the needle away is a North pole.

Why this matters: it is also the reason a compass must be kept away from magnets,
loudspeakers and mobile phones. Any magnet nearby overpowers the gentle
magnetism of the Earth and the compass then points to the magnet instead of to
the north.

Activity 4.7: Let us investigate — Pages 70 & 71

Page 21 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Section 4.4 — Does the magnetic effect pass through other materials?

ACTIVITY

Q1 Suppose we place a piece of wood between the compass needle and the magnet.
Will this affect the deflection of the compass needle?

No, it will not. The compass needle deflects by very nearly the same amount as before. The
wood does not block the magnetic effect.

Magnet → air → needle : needle deflects

Magnet → wood → needle : needle still deflects, by about the same amount

Why it happens: wood is a non-magnetic material. The magnetic effect of a
magnet passes straight through non-magnetic materials as if they were not there.
Only the distance between the magnet and the needle really matters — so keep the
magnet at the same distance while sliding the wood in, or you will fool yourself.

Q2 Is there any effect on the deflection of compass needle due to the piece of wood?
Record your observation in Table 4.2.

S. MATERIAL PLACED BETWEEN THE MAGNET AND OBSERVATIONS
NO. THE COMPASS NEEDLE

1. Wood

2. Cardboard

3. Plastic

4. Glass

Table 4.2, page 71 — copy it into your notebook and fill in the Observations column.

There is no appreciable effect. Record it like this:

Page 22 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

S. MATERIAL PLACED BETWEEN THE OBSERVATION
NO. MAGNET AND THE COMPASS NEEDLE

1. Wood The needle deflects as before — no
appreciable change in the deflection

Check it yourself: Do it in the right order — first note the deflection with nothing in
between, then slip the wood in without moving either the magnet or the
compass, and note the deflection again. Comparing the two readings is what makes
the result trustworthy.

Q3 Repeat the process by replacing the piece of wood with a cardboard sheet, thin
plastic sheet, and a thin glass sheet.

The result is the same for all four. Completed Table 4.2:

S. MATERIAL PLACED BETWEEN THE MAGNET AND OBSERVATION
NO. THE COMPASS NEEDLE

1. Wood No appreciable change in the
deflection

2. Cardboard No appreciable change in the
deflection

3. Plastic No appreciable change in the
deflection

4. Glass No appreciable change in the
deflection

Conclusion:

The magnetic effect can act through non-magnetic materials — wood, cardboard, plastic

and glass do not stop it.

Page 23 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

co m
m.
Where you meet this every day: a fridge magnet holds a thick sheet of paper

m l a se
against the steel door — the magnetism reaches through the paper. In the maze
o
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game of Fig..c 4.12, a magnet moved below a cardboard tray dragsagthe steel balls
l a seit. A shop's glass door magnet, and the magnet inside a pencil-box flap
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above
acovered with cloth, work the same way.

o m
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m weaken the effect a lot, because iron is ag
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Did you know? A sheet of soft iron does

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magnetic and takes the magnetismla into itself. That is why the chapter tells you to
store magnets with two pieces of soft iron across their ends.

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Fun with.cMagnets g l as
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co m
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.co


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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Section 4.5 Fun with Magnets

ACTIVITY

Q1 Can we make a garland? (Fig. 4.11)

Bar magnet S N

Steel U-clips

Fig. 4.11, page 71 — redrawn sketch: a magnetic garland of steel U-clips hanging from a
bar magnet.

Yes. A magnetic garland is a chain of steel paper clips hanging one below the other from a
single magnet, with nothing but magnetism holding them together.
How to make it:

1. Hold a strong bar magnet by one end.
2. Touch a steel paper clip to the free pole. It sticks.
3. Touch a second clip to the bottom of the first — it also sticks. Then a third, a fourth, and so
on.
4. The chain grows until the clips at the bottom are too far from the magnet to be held. Gently
lift the magnet and the whole garland hangs from it.

Page 25 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the second clip sticks to the first: the first clip, while it is touching the
magnet, itself becomes a temporary magnet with its own two poles. It can then hold
the next clip. This passing on of magnetism is called induced magnetism. Take the
magnet away and the whole garland collapses at once, because the clips lose their
borrowed magnetism.

Try This: Count how many clips your garland holds. Repeat with a stronger magnet
— the chain gets longer. This is a fair way to compare the strength of two magnets.

Page 26 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q2 Can we take the steel balls out of the maze by moving a magnet below the
cardboard tray? (Fig. 4.12)

Steel balls

Cardboard tray

Fig. 4.12, page 72 — redrawn sketch: steel balls in a straw maze on a cardboard tray.

Yes. Hold the magnet under the cardboard tray, right below a steel ball, and slide it slowly. The
ball follows the magnet through the maze and can be walked all the way to the exit — without
ever touching it.

Page 27 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Magnet below the tray → magnetic effect passes through the cardboard → steel ball above

is attracted → ball follows the magnet

Why it works: cardboard is a non-magnetic material, so it does not stop the
magnetic effect (Activity 4.7). Steel contains iron, so the ball is a magnetic object. The
ball moves because it is always being pulled towards the nearest, strongest part of
the magnet.

Tip: Move the magnet slowly. If you jerk it, the ball is left behind — the pull weakens
very quickly as the gap between magnet and ball grows.

Q3 Can we pick out a steel paper clip fallen in water using a magnet, without getting
our fingers or the magnet wet? (Fig. 4.13)

Magnet held outside the glass

Steel paper clip

Glass of water

Fig. 4.13, page 72 — redrawn sketch: a steel paper clip in a glass of water, with a magnet
held outside the glass.

Yes. Use the wall of the glass as the barrier.

1. Hold the magnet outside the glass, touching the wall, level with the clip.

Page 28 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
a g l AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

2. The clip is attracted through the glass and the water and clings to the inner wall.
co m
3. Now slide the magnet slowly up the outside of the glass. The clip climbs up the inner wall
e m.
m l as
.co g
with it.
m a
se
4. When the clip reaches the rim, tilt it out onto your palm. Neither your fingers nor the magnet

g l a
a
has touched the water.

co m
Why it works: both glass and water are non-magnetic, so the magnetic effect

e m .
passes right through them. This is more than a game — it is how a doctor removes a ag
g l as
tiny iron splinter from an eye, and how factories fish out iron pieces that fall into oil
or chemicals. a

co m
e m.
m l as
Q4
m .co
Will the two cars speed towards each other or run away from each other when
a g
l a se brought closer? (Fig. 4.14)

a g
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m .co agl
l a se
a g

co m
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m as e
c o
. The white dot marks the North pole of the magnet. a g l
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agl Fig. 4.14, page 72 — redrawn sketch: two matchbox-magnet cars with like poles of the
magnets facing each other.
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ANSWER agl
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In Fig. 4.14 the two matchbox cars carry magnets with like poles facing each other, so they will
run away from each other — they repel.
. co
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HOW THE MAGNETS ARE PLACED ON THE WHAT THE CARS DO

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Like poles facing (N–N or S–S) — as in Fig. 4.14
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The cars run away from each other (repulsion)

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Unlike poles facing (N–S)
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The cars speed towards each other and stick

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(attraction)

ag

com
m .
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.co


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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the cars are used: the wheels remove almost all friction, exactly like the round
pencils in Activity 4.5. So even the small push between two magnets a few
centimetres apart is enough to send a car rolling.

Did you know? A Maglev train works on this very push. Powerful magnets on the
track and on the train repel each other, so the train floats a little above the rails. With
no wheels touching the track there is almost no friction, and such trains run at over
400 km per hour.

Let us enhance our learning — Pages 74–76
End-of-chapter exercise

LET US ENHANCE OUR LEARNING

Q1 Fill in the blanks: (i) Unlike poles of two magnets ______ each other, whereas like
poles ______ each other. (ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are
called ______. (iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the ______ direction.
(iv) A magnet always has ______ poles.

BLANK ANSWER

(i) Unlike poles of two magnets ______ each other, whereas like poles ______ each attract … repel
other.

(ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are called ______. magnetic
materials

(iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the ______ direction. north-south

(iv) A magnet always has ______ poles. two

Page 30 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why each answer is what it is:

(i) The North pole of one magnet and the South pole of another are unlike poles,
and they pull together. Two North poles, or two South poles, are like poles and
push apart.
(ii) Iron, nickel, cobalt and steel are pulled in; wood, plastic and glass are not, and
those are called non-magnetic materials.
(iii) The needle is a small magnet turning freely, and a freely turning magnet
always settles along the north-south line because the Earth behaves like a giant
magnet.
(iv) Poles occur only in pairs. Break a magnet as many times as you like — every
piece still has one North and one South pole.

Q2 State whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F). (i) A magnet can be
broken into pieces to obtain a single pole. (ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each
other. (iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar magnet when it is brought
near them. (iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns with the north-south
direction.

STATEMENT T/ REASON
F

(i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to False Every piece, however small, gets a fresh North pole
obtain a single pole. and South pole at the broken face. A single pole
cannot exist.

(ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each True Like poles (N–N or S–S) always push each other
other. away.

(iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a False They stick mostly at the two ends — the poles. The
bar magnet when it is brought near them. middle is almost bare (Activity 4.2, Fig. 4.4).

(iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always True The Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet and turns
aligns with the north-south direction. the hanging magnet into the north-south line.

Tip: Statement (iii) is the most common trap in tests. Picture Fig. 4.4 — the filings
look like two thick beards at the ends, not a belt at the middle.

Page 31 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q3 Column I shows different positions in which one pole of a magnet is placed near
that of the other. Column II indicates the resulting interaction between them for
different situations. Fill in the blanks. Column I: N–N, N–___, S–N, ___–S. Column II:
___, Attraction, ___, Repulsion.

Use one rule only — like poles repel, unlike poles attract.

COLUMN I COLUMN II

N–N Repulsion

N–S Attraction

S–N Attraction

S–S Repulsion

Working, row by row:

Row 1: N and N are like poles → Repulsion

Row 2: the result is Attraction, so the poles must be unlike. With N given, the blank is S

Row 3: S and N are unlike poles → Attraction

Row 4: the result is Repulsion, so the poles must be like. With S given, the blank is S

Tip: Note that N–S and S–N mean the same thing. It does not matter which magnet
you name first — only whether the two poles are alike or unlike.

Page 32 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q4 Atharv performed an experiment in which he took a bar magnet and rolled it over a
heap of steel U-clips (Fig. 4.15).

N S

A B C

Heap of steel U-clips

Fig. 4.15, page 75 — redrawn sketch: a bar magnet with positions A, B and C marked, and
a heap of steel U-clips.

According to you, which of the options given in Table 4.3 is likely to be his
observation? (i) A-10, B-2, C-10 (ii) A-10, B-10, C-2 (iii) A-2, B-10, C-10 (iv) A-10, B-10, C-
10

POSITION A POSITION B POSITION C

(i) 10 2 10

(ii) 10 10 2

(iii) 2 10 10

(iv) 10 10 10

Table 4.3, page 75 — number of pins attracted by the magnet at its various positions.

Answer: option (i) — Position A: 10, Position B: 2, Position C: 10.
In Fig. 4.15, A and C are the two ends of the bar magnet (the poles) and B is the middle.

Page 33 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
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co m
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Position A = North pole → attraction is strongest → many clips (10)
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Position B = middle → attraction is weakest → very few clips (2)
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Position C = South pole → attraction is strongest → many clips (10)
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Why the other options are wrong: (ii) and (iii) each make one end weak, but both

c o m g l
ends of a magnet are equally strong. (iv) makes the middle as strong as the ends, as
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Q5
m .c a piece of iron. How will she identify which two
Reshma bought three identical metal bars from the market. Out of these bars, two
a
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just

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She should use the test of repulsion — the only sure test of a magnet.

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Reading the result.

co m
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.co


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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

WHAT SHE SEES FOR A PAIR WHAT IT MEANS

The two bars push each other away in some position Both bars of that pair are magnets

The two bars only attract, whichever way round they are held One of them is the plain iron bar

Repulsion is seen in exactly one pair → those two bars are the magnets

The bar left out of that pair is the plain iron bar

Why attraction cannot be used: a magnet attracts an iron bar, and a magnet also
attracts the unlike pole of another magnet. Attraction therefore proves nothing. But
a piece of iron can never repel anything — so repulsion appears only when both
objects are magnets.

Another way (also without extra material): touch the end of one bar to the middle
of another. If there is a strong pull, the second bar is the iron piece; if the pull is very
weak, the second bar is a magnet, because the middle of a magnet is its weakest
region.

Q6 You are given a magnet which does not have the poles marked. How can you find its
poles with the help of another magnet which has its poles marked?

Use the marked magnet's known North pole and watch for repulsion.

1. Place the unmarked magnet on the table, or on round pencils so that it can move easily.
2. Bring the North pole of the marked magnet slowly near one end of the unmarked magnet.
3. If that end is pushed away (repelled), it is the North pole of the unmarked magnet.
4. If that end is pulled (attracted), it is the South pole.
5. The other end is then the opposite pole. Mark both ends with a marker pen.

Known N + unknown end → repulsion → that end is N

Known N + unknown end → attraction → that end is S

Page 35 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why we look for repulsion and not attraction: attraction can also happen if a
piece of the magnet is slightly rusty or if some iron is nearby, so it can mislead you.
Repulsion happens for one reason only — two like poles. Confirm your result by
repeating with the marked magnet's South pole; the answers must be exactly the
other way round.

Q7 A bar magnet has no markings to indicate its poles. How would you find out near
which end its North pole is located without using another magnet?

Let the Earth do the job — the Earth is itself a giant magnet, and no second magnet is needed.

1. Tie a thread to the middle of the bar magnet so that it hangs horizontally and balanced.
2. Hang it from a stand or a hook in an open place, well away from iron almirahs, grills, mobile
phones and steel furniture.
3. Give it a gentle turn and let it come to rest by itself.
4. The magnet settles along the north-south line. The end that points towards the north is its
North pole; the other end is the South pole. Mark them.

How do you know which side is north? Note where the Sun rose that morning — that is
roughly east. Face the rising Sun; north is then on your left hand.

Freely suspended magnet → rests north-south

End pointing north = North (north-seeking) pole

End pointing south = South (south-seeking) pole

Another way: float the magnet on a small piece of thermocol or cork in a bowl of
still water. It will slowly turn and settle north-south, just like the compass needle you
made in Activity 4.4.

Q8 If the earth is itself a magnet, can you guess the poles of earth’s magnet by looking
at the direction of the magnetic compass?

Yes, we can. And the answer is a surprising one.
The reasoning, step by step:

Page 36 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

1. The compass needle's North pole points towards the geographic north of the Earth.

2. A pole is pulled only by an unlike pole.

3. So whatever lies near the geographic north must be attracting a North pole.

4. Therefore near the Earth's geographic north there is the South pole of the Earth's

magnet.

5. And near the geographic south there is the North pole of the Earth's magnet.

Geographic NORTH
(magnetic South pole here)

S

N

(magnetic North pole here)
Geographic SOUTH
The Earth behaves like a giant bar magnet buried inside it — but turned the other way round, with its
magnetic South pole lying near the geographic North.

Page 37 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why it feels upside down: the names came first and the science later. The end of a
magnet was named “North pole” simply because it seeks the north. Once that name
was fixed, the rule that unlike poles attract forced the Earth's magnet to have its
South pole up near the geographic north.

Q9 While a mechanic was repairing a gadget using a screw driver, the steel screws kept
falling down. Suggest a way to solve the problem of the mechanic on the basis of
what you have learnt in this chapter.

Magnetise the tip of the screwdriver. Then each steel screw clings to the tip instead of
dropping into the machine.
How the mechanic can do it (exactly the method of Activity 4.4):

1. Lay the screwdriver on a table and take a strong permanent magnet.
2. Place one pole of the magnet at the handle end of the steel shaft and stroke it along the
shaft to the tip, always in the same direction with the same pole.
3. Lift the magnet away, go back to the starting end and stroke again. Repeat 30 to 40 times.
4. Test it by touching a steel screw to the tip. If the screw hangs on, the screwdriver is
magnetised and ready.

An even quicker fix: stick or tape a small magnet on the shaft near the tip, or use a ready-made
magnetic screwdriver.

Why it works: the screwdriver's shaft is made of steel, which contains iron and is
therefore a magnetic material. Stroking lines up the tiny magnets inside it, so it
becomes a magnet itself and attracts the steel screws.

Tip: A magnetised screwdriver should not be used near a watch, a mobile phone or a
compass. And if the tip must be demagnetised later, tapping it hard several times or
heating it will do it — which is also why the chapter warns you not to drop, hammer
or heat your magnets.

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
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co m
m.
Two ring magnets X and Y are arranged as shown in Fig. 4.16. It is observed that
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Q10

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the magnet X does not move down further. What could be the possible reason?

m .c a way to bring the magnet X in contact with magnetagY, without pushing
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X stays above Y with a gap.
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Fig. 4.16, page 76 — redrawn sketch: two ring magnets X and Y on a vertical wooden

m
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rod.

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s e m of X and Y are like poles (either both North or both South).
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The reason: the two facing surfaces

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X is pushed upwards. It floats and stops at the height where this
upward push exactly balances its own weight, and it cannot come down any further.

co m
m .
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.co


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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

S
X
N

N
X
S
N N
Y Y
S S

N faces N → repulsion → X floats X turned over: S faces N → attraction
→ they touch

Left: like poles face each other, so X hovers above Y. Right: X has been lifted off, turned upside down
and slipped back — now unlike poles face and the two magnets come together.

The way to bring them in contact: lift magnet X off the rod, turn it upside down (invert it),
and slide it back on. Now an unlike pole of X faces the top pole of Y, so instead of repelling they
attract — and X slides down on its own until it rests on Y. No pushing is needed.

Why the ring magnets have their poles on the flat faces: in a ring (or disc)
magnet the two poles are the two flat circular surfaces, not the rim. So flipping the
ring over swaps which pole faces downward — and that single flip changes repulsion
into attraction.

Did you know? A magnet hovering in mid-air on a rod is a classroom-sized Maglev.
The same idea of like-pole repulsion lifts a whole train off its track.

Page 40 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q11 Three magnets are arranged on a table in the form of the shape shown in Fig. 4.17.
What is the polarity, N or S, at the ends 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the magnets? Polarity of
one end (5) is given for you.

2

3
1
6

4
5 N

Fig. 4.17, page 76 — redrawn sketch: three bar magnets arranged on a table; only the
polarity of end 5 is given.

Answer: 1 = N, 2 = S, 3 = N, 4 = S, 5 = N (given), 6 = S.
The key idea: the three magnets are lying joined end to end and staying put. Two ends can rest
quietly touching each other only if they attract — that is, only if they are unlike poles. If they
were like poles they would push apart and the shape would fall open.

End 5 = N (given)

Ends 4 and 5 touch → they must be unlike → end 4 = S

Ends 3 and 4 are the two ends of the same magnet → end 3 = N

Ends 2 and 3 touch → they must be unlike → end 2 = S

Ends 1 and 2 are the two ends of the same magnet → end 1 = N

Ends 5 and 6 are the two ends of the same magnet → end 6 = S

Page 41 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

1 2
N S
N 3

S 4
N S
5 6
Every joint has N touching S — that is why the shape holds
together.

The three bar magnets with all six polarities filled in. Red ends are North poles and blue ends are
South poles.

Why you cannot get a different answer: once end 5 is fixed as N, every other end
follows with no choice left — each magnet must carry one N and one S, and each
joint must be N against S. Starting from the given end and working around the
shape is the reliable way to solve any question of this type.

Learning further — Pages 76 & 77
Projects and further exploration

LEARNING FURTHER

Q1 Using 3–4 different magnets, try to lift steel pins or U-clips and check which magnet
picks up the largest number of pins. Discuss with your friends why different
magnets might have picked up different numbers of pins.

How to do it fairly: use the same heap of identical pins, dip one pole of each magnet into the
heap in the same way, lift straight up, and count what hangs on. Repeat three times for each
magnet and take the largest count.

Page 42 of 49

Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

MAGNET TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3 BEST COUNT

Small bar magnet 6 7 6 7

Large bar magnet 12 11 13 13

U-shaped magnet 18 17 19 19

Ring magnet 9 10 9 10

Sample answer (your own numbers will differ): the U-shaped magnet lifted the most pins and
the small bar magnet the fewest.
Why different magnets pick up different numbers:

Strength of the magnet. Some magnets are made of stronger materials and were
magnetised more thoroughly.
Size. A bigger magnet of the same material is usually stronger.
Shape. In a U-shaped magnet both poles face the same way and pull on the same heap
together, so it beats a bar magnet of similar size.
Age and treatment. A magnet that has been dropped, hammered, heated or stored
carelessly loses strength.
Where you touch the heap. A pole picks up many pins, the middle picks up hardly any — so
always use a pole.

Tip: Counting pins is a real way of measuring magnet strength. Record your table in
your notebook and test the same magnets again after six months — a magnet
stored without its keeper will have grown weaker.

Page 43 of 49

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets
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co m
m.
Make a toy ‘Hopping Frog’ as a combined class activity with the help of your
se
Q2

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teacher. For constructing the toy, fix ring magnets in an alternate North-South
ga frog on paper, cut
m .c along the length of a scale using glue (Fig. 4.18a). Paint
fashion a
l a se the outline and glue a ring magnet at its base. Take a transparent, flexible
along
a g plastic strip (Fig. 4.18a) of a smaller size and glue it to the ring magnet which is
attached to the frog. When you slide the plastic strip (with frog) over the scale (Fig.

co m
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4.18b), you can observe the frog hopping.

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Frog with a ring magnet
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Fig. 4.18, page 77 — redrawn sketch: (a) the frog on its plastic strip, and the scale
m
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carrying ring magnets; (b) the strip slid over the scale.

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What you need: a wooden or plastic scale, 6–8 ring magnets, glue, aem
m a s thick paper frog, and a

. co transparent flexible plastic strip. a gl
semSteps:
small

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1. Glue the ring magnets in a row along the scale, alternating their faces — the first with its
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North face up, the next with its South face up, the next North, and so on.

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2. Colour and cut out the paper frog and glue one ring magnet at its base.

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3. Glue the flexible plastic strip to that magnet so the frog can spring up and down a little.
a
4. Slide the strip with the frog slowly along the scale and watch the frog hop.

co m
m .
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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Why the frog hops: as the frog's magnet passes over a magnet whose facing pole is
like its own, it is repelled and jumps up. Over the very next magnet the facing pole
is unlike, so it is attracted and comes down. Because the magnets on the scale
alternate N, S, N, S…, the frog gets push–pull–push–pull one after another and
appears to hop along. The springy plastic strip lets it bounce instead of staying
stuck.

Tip: Mark the top face of each ring magnet with a dot as you glue it, so you can
check that the sequence really alternates. If two neighbouring magnets are put the
same way up, the frog will skip a hop at that point.

Q3 Find out about the Maglev Train and try to make its model.

What a Maglev train is: “Maglev” is short for magnetic levitation. The train does not roll on
wheels — it floats a few centimetres above the guideway and is pushed forward by magnets.

JOB HOW MAGNETS DO IT

Lifting the train Strong magnets on the train and on the track have like poles facing, so they repel and the train
rises

Guiding it on the Side magnets keep pushing it back to the centre if it drifts
line

Moving it forward The track's magnetism is switched on and off in a wave, so the train is pulled forward and
pushed from behind

Why it is fast and quiet: nothing touches the track, so there is almost no friction. Maglev trains
reach speeds above 400 km/h, run very smoothly and need little repair. Such trains run in Japan,
China and South Korea. The Shanghai Maglev is the best-known one.
A simple model you can make:

1. Fix two rows of ring or strip magnets along a wooden channel, all with the same pole facing
up.
2. Glue matching magnets under a light cardboard “train”, again all with the same pole facing
down — the same pole as on the track.
3. Place the train on the channel. Like poles face each other, so the train floats.
4. Give it a gentle push; it glides along the channel. Low walls on either side keep it from
slipping off.

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Check it yourself: Turn the cardboard train upside down and put it back. It will now
stick to the track instead of floating — proof that the floating came from repulsion
between like poles.

Q4 Try to find out why there is a need to make magnets of different shapes.

Because the shape decides where the poles are — and different jobs need the poles in
different places.

SHAPE WHERE ITS POLES WHY THAT SHAPE IS USEFUL
ARE

Bar magnet At the two ends, far apart Best for learning about poles, and for hanging freely to
find directions

U-shaped Two tips side by side, facing Both poles pull on the same object, so it lifts much more
(horseshoe) the same way — used in cranes and holders

Ring magnet On the two flat faces Slides over a rod or shaft — used in loudspeakers, motors
and the hopping-frog toy

Disc magnet On the two flat faces Thin and flat — fits inside pencil boxes, purses, fridge
stickers and cupboard catches

Cylindrical At the two circular ends Fits into narrow holes and tubes — used in latches and
magnet sensors

Needle shaped At the two sharp ends Light and free to turn on a pin — the compass needle

Spherical magnet At two opposite points on the Rolls freely — used in toys and puzzles
ball

The rule behind all of it: whatever the shape, a magnet still has exactly two poles,
in a pair. Shape changes only where the poles sit and how far apart they are — and
that is precisely what makes one magnet right for a fridge door and another right
for a compass.

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Q5 Collect information related to the use of magnets in the field of medicine.

Magnets are used in hospitals far more than most people imagine. Here is what a class survey
of newspapers, books and a hospital visit would turn up.

USE IN MEDICINE WHAT IT DOES

MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance A very powerful magnet lets doctors see the brain, spine, knees and other soft
Imaging) parts of the body clearly — without any surgery and without X-rays

Removing iron splinters A tiny iron chip that has gone into the eye or a wound can be drawn out with a
small magnet instead of cutting

Magnets in hearing aids and Hold the outer part in place on the head and help carry sound signals
cochlear implants

Magnetic therapy belts and Sold for pain in the knee, back and joints. Their benefit is not well proved by
mats science — treat such claims carefully

Separating cells and proteins Tiny magnetic beads are used to pull out particular cells from a blood sample
in laboratories for testing

Guiding medicines Newer research uses magnets to steer medicine to just the diseased part of the
body, so that less of it reaches the healthy parts

Important safety note: because an MRI magnet is enormously strong, patients
must remove all iron and steel objects — hairpins, keys, coins, watches — before
entering the room. People with a heart pacemaker or a metal implant cannot always
have an MRI. This is the same lesson as the chapter's warning to keep magnets away
from mobile phones, only on a much larger scale.

How to present your findings: make a chart with three columns — where the
magnet is used, what it does, and the property of magnets it depends on (attraction of
iron, or the magnetic effect passing through the body). Add a picture of an MRI
machine cut from a newspaper.

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Class 6 Science Chapter 4 Exploring Magnets AglaSem · NCERT Solutions

Chapter at a glance
A magnet is an object that attracts iron, nickel and cobalt. Magnets found in nature are
called lodestones; the bar, U-shaped and ring magnets in your laboratory are artificial
magnets.
Materials pulled towards a magnet are magnetic materials (iron, nickel, cobalt, steel).
Materials that are not pulled are non-magnetic materials (wood, rubber, plastic, glass,
paper, copper, aluminium).
Every magnet has two poles — a North pole and a South pole — at its two ends, where the
pull is strongest. Poles always come in pairs; a single pole cannot exist, no matter how
small you break the magnet.
A freely suspended magnet always rests along the north-south direction, because the
Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet. This is the idea behind the magnetic compass,
and behind India's old matsya-yantra.
Between two magnets, unlike poles attract (N–S) and like poles repel (N–N, S–S).
Repulsion is the sure test of a magnet, because an iron bar is attracted by both poles but
repelled by neither.
The magnetic effect passes through non-magnetic materials — wood, cardboard, plastic
and glass do not stop it. Magnets must be stored in pairs with unlike poles together, and
kept away from heat, hammering and mobile phones.

Page 48 of 49

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