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KS3: Magnetism Questions

Q1.

Rachel has a small block of metal. She wants to know if it is a magnet.

She holds the North pole of a bar magnet near one end of the block of metal.
They attract.

Then she holds the South pole of the bar magnet near the same end of the block of metal.

Again they attract.


(a)     Explain how this shows that Rachel’s block of metal is not a permanent magnet.

If it was a magnet it would repel one end of the bar magnet, as it was attracted to both poles it cannot be a magnet.

1 mark

(b)     What metal could Rachel’s block be made from?

The block could be made of iron, nickel or cobalt or an alloy of any of those metals.

1 mark

(c)     Rachel puts the block of metal in a thin plastic bag.
What effect, if any, will the bar magnet now have on the block?

It would still attract it, the bag would have hardly any effect.

1 mark

(d)     Rachel puts the bar magnet into a pile of coins. Some of the coins are attracted to the magnet but some are not.

Suggest a reason for this.

Some of the coins do not contain iron, nickel or cobalt and some do. The ones that do will be attracted to the magnet.

1 mark
(Total 4 marks)