Skip to content
Exit presentation

Exploring Magnets

Which things does a magnet pull?

A magnet touches a nail and a wooden bead. Which one sticks?

Loading lab…

The idea

The nail sticks, because it is iron. The wooden bead, a small ball, does not stick.

A magnet pulls iron, nickel and cobalt, which are all metals. A magnet also pulls steel, which is mostly iron.

A thing a magnet pulls is magnetic. Wood, plastic and glass are not.

A magnet, a nail, and a wooden bead.
Step 1 of 3
  1. A magnet, a nail, and a wooden bead.
  2. The nail sticks to the magnet.
  3. The bead does not move.

Watch out!

Copper and aluminium are metals. A magnet does not pull them. Being a metal is not enough.

Jump to lesson

This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 Which things does a magnet pull?
  3. 2 Every magnet has two poles
  4. 3 Cut a magnet in half
  5. 4 Push, or pull?
  6. 5 A magnet does not need to touch
  7. 6 Checkpoint: things, poles, cutting, push and pull
  8. 7 Everyday uses of magnets
  9. 8 Making a magnet, and losing one
  10. 9 The compass finds north
  11. 10 Using magnets safely
  12. 11 The big picture
  13. 12 Track quiz

Other tracks