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Science notes, unit 7

Magnets

Textbook Science Year 1 (DLP), pages 61-70

What this chapter covers

  • You can say how magnets are used in daily life (7.1.1)
  • You can name the shapes of magnets (7.1.2)
  • You can find out which objects a magnet attracts and which it does not (7.1.3, 7.1.6)
  • You know that a magnet has a north pole and a south pole (7.1.4)
  • You can say what happens when two magnets are put close together (7.1.4)
  • You know that some magnets are stronger than others (7.1.5)

7.1Uses of magnets

A magnet is useful in our daily life.

A magnet can pull some objects towards it.
  • A fridge door closes tightly because it has a magnet.
  • A pencil case closes tightly because it has a magnet.
  • A magnetic screwdriver holds a screw.
  • Handbags, chessboards and notice board buttons also use magnets.
A girl and a boy look at a pencil case that has a magnet inside
A magnet keeps the pencil case closed.

Picture: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, p. 63.

A worker on a ladder uses a magnetic screwdriver to hold a screw
A magnetic screwdriver holds the screw.

Picture: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, p. 63.

Name one thing that uses a magnet.
Show answerHide answer
A fridge door, a pencil case, a magnetic screwdriver, a handbag or a chessboard (any one).

7.2Shapes of magnets

Magnets come in many shapes. We name a magnet by its shape.

Six magnets: bar, cylinder, horseshoe, U-shaped, button and ring
Six shapes of magnets.

Picture: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, p. 64.

ShapeWhat it looks like
Bar magnetA long block
Cylinder magnetA long round stick
Horseshoe magnetBent like a horseshoe
U-shaped magnetBent like the letter U
Button magnetA round, flat disc
Ring magnetA disc with a hole
A magnet is a flat disc with a hole in the middle. What shape is it?
Show answerHide answer
A ring magnet.

7.3What does a magnet attract?

A magnet can attract some objects. It cannot attract all objects.

Objects to test with a magnet: ice cream sticks, plastic button, screw, rubber, bar magnet, plastic ruler, marble, safety pin and metal bottle caps
Objects to test with a magnet.

Picture: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, p. 65.

Attracted by a magnetNot attracted by a magnet
Screw, safety pin, metal bottle cap, nail, paper clipIce cream stick, plastic button, rubber, plastic ruler, marble, pencil
Many things that are made of metal are attracted by a magnet. Things made of plastic, wood or glass are not.
Not all objects are attracted by a magnet. A magnet cannot attract a pencil.
Will a magnet attract a marble?
Show answerHide answer
No. A marble is not attracted by a magnet.

7.4Poles: attract and repel

Every magnet has two poles. They are the north pole and the south pole.

A bar magnet with the north pole N on the red end and the south pole S on the blue end
A bar magnet has a north pole and a south pole.

Picture: Science Year 1 (DLP) textbook, p. 67.

Different poles (north and south) attract. They pull together.
The same poles (north and north, or south and south) repel. They push apart.
Poles put close togetherWhat happens
North and southAttract
North and northRepel
South and southRepel
Two north poles are put close together. What happens?
Show answerHide answer
They repel (push apart).

7.5Strength of magnets

Magnets can have different strengths. A stronger magnet attracts more paper clips. It can also attract paper clips from farther away.

To compare magnets, put each one the same distance from the paper clips. Then see which one attracts the paper clips first.
Magnet A attracts 5 paper clips. Magnet B attracts 2 paper clips. Which magnet is stronger?
Show answerHide answer
Magnet A.