NCERT Curiosity · Class 6 · Science
Exploring Magnets
Long before compasses had needles, sailors found their way using a stone that always pointed north.
Poles and Directions Attraction and Repulsion The Compass Handling Magnets
Key idea
Magnetic and Non-magnetic Materials
Ancient sailors used natural lodestones; today's magnets are usually iron and its alloys.

Magnetic

Attracted towards a magnet — iron, nickel, cobalt, and their alloys.

Non-magnetic

Not attracted towards a magnet — wood, plastic, glass, rubber.

Key idea
Shapes of Magnets
Whatever the shape, the poles are always at the ends of strongest attraction.

Bar

Straight, with poles at each end.

Horseshoe

Curved into a U, bringing both poles to the front.

Disc & cylinder

Flat rings or rods, still with two poles.

Key idea
A Magnet Always Has Two Poles
Iron filings stick mostly at the two ends, called poles — break the magnet, and each piece still has both.

Break a bar magnet into pieces, and every piece still has its own North and South pole.

Key idea
Finding Directions
A freely suspended magnet always settles north-south.
An ordinary, non-magnetized iron bar won’t do this — it’s one way to test if something is really a magnet. The magnetic compass uses this same idea, with a needle that rotates freely to always point north-south.
Key idea
Attraction and Repulsion
Unlike poles attract
→←

The South end of one faces the North end of the other, and they pull together.

Like poles repel
←→

Two South ends (or two North ends) face each other, and they push apart.

Key idea
Repulsion Is the Real Test
Attraction alone isn't proof

A magnet also attracts plain iron. If two objects attract, one might just be an iron bar, not a magnet at all.

Repulsion never lies

Plain iron never repels a magnet. If two objects push apart, both must be magnets.

Key idea
Magnetism Passes Through Barriers
A compass needle still deflects even with wood, cardboard, plastic, or glass in between.
→ →
Key idea
Storing and Handling Magnets
Do

Store magnets in pairs with unlike poles together, a piece of wood in between, and soft iron pieces across the ends.

Don't

Don’t heat, drop, or hammer a magnet, and keep it away from 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.

Opening

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