how do magnets work?

Question

answers that 6yr olds can understand

Answer 1

There are loops of invisible string coming out of the magnet, which like to go through some metals, and so draw the metals near. Two magnet loops going the same way will combine into one, drawing the magnets together, but two loops going the opposite way will fight.

Answer 2

Many atoms such as iron are surrounded by orbiting electrons that form weak electro-magnets. In an iron bar the atoms are arranged randomly, pointing in all directions. If the bar is heated up, all the tiny magnets partially melt and are free to point in a new direction. If the bar in placed within a coil of wire connected to a battery, the electric current forms a electro-magnetic field surrounding the bar. When the bar is then cooled all its tiny magnets will line up together pointing in the same direction (like a table covered with magnetic compasses all point North). When the bar is removed from the coil it will remain permanently magnetized. If the bar magnet is placed near another bar of iron (not a permanent magnet), the magnet will attract all the tiny atom-like magnets in the other bar and can even pick it up.

If the bar magnet is placed under a thin piece of paper and the paper is sprinkled with iron filings, the filings will line up along lines of force which are actually invisible. A needle of a magnetic compass placed near the poles of the bar magnet will also be attracted along the same lines of force (and opposite ends of the bar magnet will attract opposite ends of the needle. Hope that helps a little.

Answer 3

1st basic information about magnets:

1.A magnet is an object that can push or pick up materials made of iron, steel, or nickel. A magnet is made of these same materials.

2.Objects that are attracted by magnets have similar properties.

3.Every magnet has two places where its strength is concentrated.

4.A magnet that is free to turn will come to rest with its poles aligned in a north-south direction.

5.Unlike poles of a magnet attract each other. Like poles of a magnet repel each other.

6.A magnet can be made from a steel object by striking it with a magnet.

7.Once magnetized, a piece of steel can remain magnetized indefinitely.

8.A magnetic compass consists mainly of a freely turning magnet.

9.All magnets, and thus all compasses, have a north-south seeking pole.

10.A magnetic compass works because the earth itself is a magnet: the compass magnet interacts with the earth-magnet.

how they work:

A magnet is an object made of certain materials which create a magnetic area (feild). Every magnet has at least one part called "north pole" and one called "south pole".
The two parts of a magnet attract things such as a paper clip. If two magnets were put together sometimes (depending on which way the magnets were facing) they attract or repel- stick together or push away from each other. They do this because of the motion (action or movement) of electric charges.

hope this helps

Answer 4

The truth is noone know exactly how magnets work, in the sense that they dont know why they attract eachother. Theres a lot of mathematical stuff which describes how magnets interact, and how much they attract eachother in what direction. But what the thing is that actually pulls on them is still somewhat of a mystery.

Answer 5

I only juts remember this (and I only had a sketchy understanding of it back then)...

The electron shells and the polarity of the atoms get lined up, they can be magnitised by another magnet stoking down them. This creates a + and - pole for the metal. After this happens, -ve gets attracted to +ve to try and balance the unequality created.

Answer 6

A moving electron produces a magnetic field.
The electrons in iron are more easily aligned so that they can add to the strength of the magnetic field, thus producing a magnet.

Answer 7

attract to metal objects