All About Magnets

All About Magnets

What is a Magnet?
That's a great question and one that you just might have to see for you to really understand. Be sure to do the science projects in this issue to learn how and why magnets work!
Project 1: What's the Attraction?
All magnets have the ability to attract other magnets or magnetic objects (such as iron and some other metal objects). But a magnet doesn't necessarily have to touch a magnetic object for the object to be attracted to it.
What Is a Magnet?
A magnet is a solid object, usually a rock or piece of metal, that has the ability to attract certain materials. To help discover what is and what is not attracted to magnets, go on a magnet hunt. Look around the room and help your child make a list of objects he or she thinks will be attracted to the magnet as well as a list of objects that will not be attracted. After making your lists, test each of the objects. (Don't use magnets on computers, cassette tapes, discs, and other electronic devices - it could damage the magnets inside of them!) Compare your results with what you predicted would be attracted. Were you correct on all your predictions? Were you wrong on any? Discuss why items did or did not stick when you originally thought the opposite would be true. For instance, the object is made out of plastic but coated with shiny paint to make it look metallic; not all metals are attracted to magnets; or maybe just parts of an object were attracted to the magnet. What does this tell us about magnetic attraction? (That an object must be made out of metal to be attracted, but not all metals are attracted.) Metals such as iron, nickel, and cobalt are attracted to magnets. Steel has iron in it, so it is also attracted to magnets.
Alternatively, you can use this coloring page as part of a magnet hunt. Go around the house and find things that are magnetic. Circle the items on the coloring sheet that are attracted to the magnet and draw in any other items you found that are also magnetic.
As mentioned before, many common household items have magnets in them and are part of what makes these items work. Electronic devices such as refrigerators, washing machines, lamps, telephones, TVs, and stereos all have magnets in them.