Magnetism

Magnetism is a special force you cannot see. It can pull some metals, like iron, toward a magnet. It can also push two magnets apart. Magnets have two ends called poles. Every magnet has a north pole and a south pole.

How Magnets Work

Magnets pull on metals like iron, nickel, and cobalt. If you put two magnets together, they might stick or push away. Opposite poles pull each other close. Poles that are the same push each other away. This invisible pull and push is called a magnetic force.

Magnets All Around Us

Magnets are used in many things we see every day. They hold notes on the fridge and help motors spin. Earth itself is like a giant magnet with a north and south pole. That is why a compass needle always points north. Doctors even use big magnets in machines to take pictures inside the body.

Fun Facts

• The word magnet comes from a place in ancient Greece called Magnesia.
• Only a few metals, like iron, are pulled by magnets.
• Birds can sense Earth's magnetic field to help them fly the right way.

Did You Know?

If you cut a magnet in half, each piece becomes a new magnet with its own north and south pole.