Magnets and Magnetism

Magnetism is a natural force which can act over a distance, pulling certain objects closer to each other and sticking them together. Magnets can be naturally occurring; Planet Earth acts as a giant magnet, and this is why a compass will always point to North. Magnets can also be made and controlled. Powerful electromagnets can pick up heavy objects, and they can be controlled at the flick of a switch. In this scene students can explore the factory to discover which materials and be provided with a visual account of how magnets work.

# Learning objectives

1: To describe what a magnet is.{.info}

2: To identify magnetic materials.{.info}

3: To explain how a magnet is made.{.info}

# What is a Magnet?{.objective .objective1}

A magnet is a material or object which produces its own magnetic field. Students focus on the room with the yellow crane. Which part of the machine do you think is a magnet? Why is a magnet useful when sorting materials?

# Magnetic Materials{.objective .objective2}

In this section students can learn that when two different magnets meet, depending on how they arranged they can pull towards each other (attract) or push apart from each other (repel) before they touch. When different poles meet, a north pole and a south pole, they will attract. In this activity students can explore the scene, travelling through both rooms to find the magnets. What different materials are being pulled to the magnet in each situation? What materials are not affected by the magnet?

# Making a Magnet{.objective .objective3}

Electromagnets are made using the flow of electricity through a wire, which creates a magnetic field. In this activity students can explore the scene to find a large electromagnet. What happens when it is switched off, and when it is switched on? What is the advantage of having a powerful magnet which can be controlled like this? Can you find another electromagnet being used in the scene?


# Teacher Resources

**Download Teacher Notes**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793730/files/Magnets%20and+Magnetism+Teacher+Notes+1.pdf?date=1677256018&size=940085&md5=0619779fa14d0c1577974ba93db80166)

**Student Quiz Answers Document**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793731/files/Magnets%20and+Magnetism+Teacher+Notes+2.pdf?date=1677256124&size=568230&md5=d9633925b10c4a6964525c74ac10a097)

**Download Student Quiz Document**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793732/files/Magnets%20and+Magnetism+Teacher+Notes+3.pdf?date=1677256190&size=94028&md5=17715f79050fddda51cd6f095959c3ae)