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Understanding the rules of how magnetic poles interact with each other.
Have you ever felt an invisible wall? Imagine holding two magnets and feeling them push against your hands even though nothing is touching them. How can a force you can't see be so strong?
Every magnet has two special ends called poles. We call one the North Pole () and the other the South Pole (). These poles are where the magnetic force is the strongest. Even if you had a tiny magnet the size of a grain of rice, it would still have a North and a South pole! These poles are the 'steering wheels' of the magnet, telling it which way to move when another magnet is nearby.
Quick Check
What are the names of the two poles found on every magnet?
Answer
The North Pole and the South Pole.
When you bring the North pole () of one magnet close to the South pole () of another, something 'snappy' happens. They attract, which means they pull toward each other. It feels like the magnets are jumping out of your hands to be together! The rule to remember is: Opposites Attract. Because and are different, they want to stick together.
1. Take two bar magnets. 2. Point the Red end () of Magnet A toward the Blue end () of Magnet B. 3. Slowly move them closer. 4. Result: The magnets will click together instantly!
What happens if you try to put two of the same poles together? If you point a North pole at another North pole, they repel. This means they push away from each other. You will feel a strange, squishy pressure, like trying to push two balloons together. This happens because Like Poles Repel. Whether it is and or and , they will never want to touch.
1. Place one magnet on a smooth table. 2. Hold a second magnet so the same poles are facing (e.g., facing ). 3. Try to touch the ends together. 4. Result: The magnet on the table will slide away before you can even touch it! You are using an invisible force to move an object.
Quick Check
If you have two magnets with the South poles facing each other, will they stick together or push away?
Answer
They will push away (repel) because they are 'like' poles.
The amazing thing about magnets is that they don't need to touch to work. They have an invisible magnetic field around them. This field reaches out through the air. This is why a magnet can pick up a paperclip before it even touches it, or why one magnet can 'chase' another across a desk. The force is always there, even if our eyes can't see it!
1. Imagine a train track made of magnets with the North poles facing up. 2. Imagine a train with magnets on the bottom, also with North poles facing down. 3. Because and repel, the train will actually lift up and float above the track! 4. This is called 'Maglev,' and it's how some of the fastest trains in the world work.
What is the rule for magnets that are the same?
Which pair of poles will 'snap' together?
Magnets must touch an object to push it away.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow morning, try to explain to a friend or family member why two North poles can never be friends.
Practice Activity
Find two magnets at home (like fridge magnets). Try to find the 'invisible wall' by turning one of them around until they push each other away!