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Question
brainpop science / investigation / observe and check | page 5 of 7
4
paperclips are not magnetically attracted to each other. however, a paperclip will be attracted to a refrigerator magnet.
given this information, what can you conclude? select two answers.
□ the paperclip is a permanent magnet
□ the paperclip is likely made of steel
□ the paperclip produces its own magnetic field
□ the refrigerator magnet is a permanent magnet
□ the refrigerator magnet is a weak, temporary magnet
make an observation!
you will need strong observations to answer the guiding question later on.
about 2,600 years ago, farmers in the greek city of magnesia noticed strange stones in their fields. although gray and dull, these stones did something incredible: they moved! the rocks were pulled towards the farmers iron tools by an invisible force. to some, this was evidence of the stones soul. to others, the rocks remained a mystery.
centuries later, similar stones were discovered in china. scholars named them tzuh-shih, or \loving stones,\ because of the way they \hugged\ iron. in english, these remarkable rocks are called lodestones.
lodestones, like the one pictured here, are permanent magnets. this means that they continuously produce their own magnetic fields. other permanent magnets include compass needles and refrigerator magnets, although these are not found in nature.
permanent magnets can temporarily magnetize other materials. consider steel, a metal used to build skyscrapers, refrigerators, and washing machines. steel is not a permanent magnet. one steel washing machine will not be pulled towards another because neither one produces a magnetic field on its own.
however, a steel washing machine can become magnetic when its exposed to a permanent magnets field. the washing machine will lose its magnetism when the field is removed.
for example, a lodestones magnetic field will temporarily magnetize the steel washing machine. while the lodestone is nearby, the washing machine produces a magnetic field, too. when the two fields interact, bam! youve got a lodestone, paperclips, safety pins, screwdrivers, and forks stuck to your washing machine.
while pulling a lodestone off a washing machine might be a bit challenging, it certainly does highlight why humans have been drawn to magnets for millennia.
- The text states permanent magnets (like refrigerator magnets) can temporarily magnetize steel, and paperclips are attracted to fridge magnets but not each other—this matches steel's properties, so the paperclip is likely steel.
- The text explicitly lists refrigerator magnets as examples of permanent magnets, which produce their own continuous magnetic fields.
- Paperclips are not permanent magnets, do not produce their own field, and fridge magnets are permanent (not temporary), so other options are incorrect.
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- The paperclip is likely made of steel
- The refrigerator magnet is a permanent magnet