NCERT Curiosity · Class 6 · Science
Exploring Magnets
Long before compasses had needles, sailors found their way using a stone that always pointed north.
Key idea
Magnetic and Non-magnetic Materials
Natural lodestones were used by ancient sailors; today's magnets are usually made of iron and its alloys.
Materials attracted towards a magnet — iron, nickel, cobalt, and some of their alloys.
Materials not attracted towards a magnet — wood, plastic, glass, rubber.
Key idea
Shapes of Magnets
Magnets also come as discs, cylinders, and spheres. the poles are always at the ends of strongest attraction.
Key idea
Poles of a Magnet
Iron filings sprinkled near a bar magnet stick mostly at its two ends — the poles.
Key idea
A Magnet Always Has Two Poles
Break a bar magnet into pieces, and every piece still has its own North and South pole.
Key idea
Finding Directions
A freely suspended bar magnet always comes to rest along the north-south direction.
An ordinary (non-magnetized) iron bar will not settle in the north-south direction when freely suspended — this is one way to test if something is really a magnet.
Key idea
The Magnetic Compass
A magnetic compass has a magnetized needle that rotates freely and always settles pointing north-south — used for navigation for centuries (e.g. the matsya-yantra of Indian sailors).
Key idea
Attraction and Repulsion
The rule. Unlike poles (North-South) attract each other. Like poles (North-North or South-South) repel each other.
Key idea
Repulsion Is the Real Test
1
Attraction alone isn't proof
A magnet also attracts plain iron. So if two objects attract each other, one of them might just be an iron bar, not a magnet at all.
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2
Repulsion never lies
Plain iron never repels a magnet. If two objects push each other away, both must be magnets — this makes repulsion the sure test.
Key idea
Magnetism Passes Through Non-magnetic Materials
A compass needle still deflects even with wood, cardboard, plastic, or glass placed between it and a magnet.
Key idea
Storing and Handling Magnets
1
Do
Store magnets in pairs with unlike poles together, a piece of wood in between, and soft iron pieces across the ends.
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2
Don't
Don't heat, drop, or hammer a magnet, and keep magnets away from mobile phones and remote controls.
Chapter · Key terms to remember
Key Terms
Magnetic materials
Attracted towards a magnet, e.g. iron, nickel, cobalt.
Non-magnetic materials
Not attracted towards a magnet.
Poles of a magnet
The two ends where attraction is strongest.
Chapter · Key terms to remember
More Key Terms
North / South pole
The end pointing north / south when freely suspended.
Magnetic compass
A device with a freely rotating needle, used to find directions.
Attraction
Pulling force between unlike poles.
Chapter · Key terms to remember
More Key Terms
Repulsion
Pushing-apart force between like poles.
Questions for your notebook
Write these down, then discuss
1Fill in the blanks: (i) Unlike poles of two magnets ___ each other, like poles ___ each other. (ii) Materials attracted towards a magnet are called ___. (iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the ___ direction. (iv) A magnet always has ___ poles.
2True or False? (i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to obtain a single pole. (ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each other. (iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar magnet. (iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns north-south.
3Column I shows pole positions of two magnets placed near each other (N–N, N–S, S–N, S–S). Match each to Attraction or Repulsion.
Project as-is — students copy the questions, then the class discusses answers together.