Page 1
Where Does It Stick?
Let's go on a mission.
A magnet-sticking mission!
Pull a magnet off the fridge
and see where it will stay.
Page 2
Your magnet didn't hang on tree bark, leaves,
or dog fur. These things are nonmagnetic.
It only stuck to metal things.
But magnets do not stick to
all metal things.
Page 3
Magnets pull on iron. They also pull on metal
that has a lot of iron in it, such as steel.
Paper clips, nails, and needles are made of
iron. They scoot to magnets. Coins and
jewelry stay put.
Page 4
The door of your fridge doesn't look like metal. So why does your magnet stick to it? There must be iron underneath the door's colored coating.
Page 5
Magnets can work through plastic,
paper, and other nonmagnetic things,
as long as they're thin enough.
Page 6
Magnetic Fields
Tie a thread around a paper clip.
Then, hold your magnet sideways. Place the
tip of the paper clip to the bottom of the
magnet so that it dangles. Now, gently pull
the thread down. The paper clip floats!
Page 7
Keep pulling and the paper
clip drops to the floor. A magnetic
field is the invisible space around a
magnet where its power can be
felt. When the paper clip was
floating, it was inside the
magnetic field. When it dropped,
it was outside the field.
Page 8
Temporary Magnets
Hang a nail from the end of a magnet.
Now touch another nail to that nail.
It stays! Add more nails.
How many will stay?
Page 9
The nails turned into temporary magnets. Iron things become magnets when they are inside a magnetic field.
Page 10
But the nails won't stick to each other if the
magnet is too far away. Iron things lose their
power when they are outside a magnetic field.
Page 11
Magnetic Poles
Rub a steel marble along a magnet. Why does the marble keep
flying to the magnet's ends? The ends are the magnet's poles.
The poles are the strongest parts of a magnet.
Page 12
The poles are often marked with the letters N and S. Why?
Page 13
There are two kinds of magnetic poles. N stands
for north pole and S stands for south pole.
Page 14
Grab two magnets and try to make their north
poles touch. Now try with the south poles.
It's difficult. Poles that are alike repel, or push apart.
Page 15
Now touch a south pole with a north pole. It's easy!
Poles that are different attract, or pull together.
Page 16
Mighty Magnets
Now you know that magnets have power. That power can be put
to work. Magnets are hidden inside motorized gadgets
around your home. The magnets make motors go.
What else do mighty magnets do?
