Iron filings around a bar magnet

In the picture

1. 1A pole of the bar magnet: one end where the arcs come together
2. 2A curved line of iron filings: grains that lined up along one arc of the field
3. 3The other pole: the second end where the arcs meet again
4. 4A scattered grain far from the magnet: filing that stayed pointing in any direction

Examples

• A fridge magnet holding a shopping list to the door
• A compass needle pointing north out in the open

Quiz: Iron filings around a bar magnet (Age 12)

1. 1

   What do the curved lines made by the iron filings show?

   • The temperature of the magnet
   • The shape of the magnetic field around the magnet
   • The weight of the iron filings
2. 2

   Where is the magnetic field strongest around the bar magnet?

   • Far from the magnet, where the filings stay scattered
   • Near the poles, where the filings bunch together
   • In the middle, where the filings are spread out
3. 3

   What happens to iron filings sprinkled on the sheet above a bar magnet?

   • They stay scattered in every direction, even near the poles
   • They line up in curved arcs from one end of the magnet to the other
   • They clump together only at the middle of the magnet

The answers, each with its explanation, are in the app. This lesson has left the free week, so its quiz is part of the subscription.