Exploring Magnetism

Introduction

Magnetism is the force of attraction or repulsion between a magnet and something else. Magnets attract materials made of iron, nickel, or cobalt. Can you think of five things to which a magnet may be attracted? Does it matter which end of the magnet is brought near the object?

All magnets, no matter what their shapes, have two regions called the north and south poles. The north pole of the magnet is the one that points north when the magnet is suspended in the air. When two like poles (i.e. north and north or south and south) are brought near each other, they repel each other. When two unlike poles are brought together they are attracted. The forces of repulsion and attraction are present because of the magnetic field that completely surrounds the magnet. Magnetic field lines extend out from the north pole into the south pole.

Objectives

In this experiment, you will

• Investigate the response of a Magnetic Field Sensor in the presence of a magnet under various conditions.
• Investigate the relationship between the orientation of the sensor and the strength of the magnetic field.