You're in a room, with no metal objects, except 2 iron nails (pins). One of them is a magnet. How do you identify the magnet?
2006-07-20 04:53:19 · 16 answers · asked by miranda 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
float them separately in a bowl of water. The magnet will turn to point north.
2006-07-20 04:56:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Applying a tougher condition: a room with no object except the two nails.
Place one of the nails on your palm and run the other nail along its lateral egde (i.e. length wise) . If you feel the magnetic attraction to decrease as you pass through the centre of the the nail (on your palm) and again increase when you reach the other end, then the nail on your palm is the magnet. But if you feel no change in the force then the other one is the magnet.
This works because the magnetic poles (where magnetic fields originate/end) in bar magnets are located at the ends and the center is free from magnetic field.
2006-07-20 05:14:41 · answer #2 · answered by Sourabh 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Place the nail vertically on the floor.
Sit on it.
If you feel magnetized... that is the magnet. If you don't the other one is the magnet.
The easier way: Holding a nail point its tip to the middle of the other. And try to lift up the flat one. If the flat one is the magnet it will be hard to lift. But if the one in your hand is the magnet it is easier to lift. Change magnets and retry to make sure.
This happens because magnets are stronger at the poles.
Another way.
Lay one horizontally. Apporach it with the other nail from above. If the one lying moves sideways to cling onto the one in your hand then the one lying is the magnet for the same reason as above.
2006-07-20 05:29:27 · answer #3 · answered by blind_chameleon 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pole of a freely-suspended magnet that points toward the north is called a north magnetic pole; the pole that points toward the south is called a south magnetic pole.
If a of magnet is freely suspended, the magnet will naturally come to rest with the same pole always pointed in the general direction of north. This pole is called the north pole. The opposite pole is called the south pole.
The false magnet will not be able to perform this feat and will be indentified as fake.
2006-07-20 06:26:33 · answer #4 · answered by sunshine25 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Identity of the magnet -
Assuming the (pins) can be surface tension floated in water, the magnet plus end would seek magnetic north and the non magnet would just swim
2006-07-20 05:03:58 · answer #5 · answered by Ron K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have to identify the pin which one is magnet out of two iron nails
kept in a room
. Just hang nails tighing in the mid by a thread one by one.One which is a magnet will rest in a particular direction i.e.in magnetic meridian.other willbe normal or in any direction.
2006-07-20 06:31:00 · answer #6 · answered by aala 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Suspending both the nails. The magnet nail will show the exact north and south direction while the mere iron does not.
2006-07-20 05:00:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You said there are no other metal objects in the room, I will assume there are other non-metal objects in the room;
Get a glass of water and a small cork, take turn putting each nail on the cork and float it on the water, the magnet one will turn to point north.
2006-07-20 05:00:30 · answer #8 · answered by Stephen 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For reference, we will indentify the nails as A & B.
First, use the tip of A to pick up the middle segment of B such that B is in balance and points in a direction.
Next, do the reverse, using the tip of B to pick up the middle segment of A and note its direction.
Repeat the experiment a few times.
The nail that always points to the same direction is the magnet.
2006-07-20 05:09:16 · answer #9 · answered by ideaquest 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go with ideaquest. He hass the right solution. Magnets point to north always. this property he is using to identify the real magnet
2006-07-20 05:16:20 · answer #10 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋