NCERT Summary: Fun with Magnets | Science Class 6 PDF Download

What is Magnet?

• A material or objects that have property of attraction or pull force for ferromagnetic materials like iron, cobalt, nickel etc. is called magnets.
• Magnets attract Ferromagnetic materials like Iron towards it.
• Magnets also attract and repel other magnets.
• Applications of attraction property of magnets in day to day life are – Refrigerator doors, pencil boxes or purses with magnetic closure buttons, iron separator from waste etc.

Types of Magnets

• Natural magnets: Those magnets which found naturally and have low magnetic power is called natural magnets.
  Example: magnetite, lodestone.
• Artificial magnets: Magnets which is made by humans and have a strong magnetic power with different shapes.
  Example: iron, nickel and cobalt

Magnetic and non-magnetic material

1. Magnetic material
   • Materials which are attracted towards a magnet are called magnetic materials.
   • Example: iron, nickel
2. Non-magnetic materials
   • Materials which do not attracted towards a magnet are called non-magnetic materials.
   • Example: zinc, wood etc.

What is magnetism? 

It is a property of magnet in which magnet is attract things made up of Iron, Cobalt or Nickel is known as magnetism.

What is magnetic field?

The area of magnet in which magnetic force is exerted to attract iron is known as magnetic field.

Magnetic poles

• It is end part of the magnet where the magnetic force is concentrated are called magnetic poles.
• Magnet has 2 poles.
  (i) North Pole: When one pole of the magnet always points towards north. This is known as north-pole.
  (ii) South Pole: When one pole of the magnet always points towards south. This is known as south-pole.

Properties of magnet

• Magnet attract magnetic materials
• Same poles repel each other, different poles attract each other
• The freely suspended magnet always rests in N-S direction.

Uses of magnet

• It is used in a compass to find the direction.
• It is used for lifting heavy masses of iron
• Used by surgeons to remove steel splinters from the wounds
• It is used in electric bells and telephones etc.

Finding directions using Magnet

• A freely suspended magnet always comes to rest in North-South direction. In olden days this property has been used to find directions.
• Compass is used to find directions.

Attraction and Repulsion

• Magnets attract iron but can attract and repel another magnet.
• Like or same poles of two magnets when brought closer, they repel each other.
  Example: South Pole of one magnet repels South Pole of other.
• Unlike or different poles of two magnets when brought closer, they attract each other.
  Example: South Pole of one magnet attracts North Pole of other.