What are the exam tips for Poles of a magnet in Combined Science AQA GCSE?

Clearly distinguish between attraction (which can occur with an induced magnet) and repulsion (which proves an object is a permanent magnet). When defining induced magnets, always mention that they lose their magnetism when removed from the magnetic field.

AQA · GCSE · Combined Science

Course version: 8464 · Version from Sept 2018

Poles of a magnet: Students should be able to describe:

They must also distinguish between permanent magnets, which produce their own magnetic field, and induced magnets, which become magnetic only when placed in an external magnetic field.

Checked against the AQA 8464 specification (opens in a new tab) on 20 September 2026.

Point 3 of 5

Study notes

From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

The idea

What earns the marks

Describe that like magnetic poles repel each other and unlike magnetic poles attract each other.
Define a permanent magnet as one that produces its own continuous magnetic field.
Define an induced magnet as a material that becomes a magnet when it is placed in an external magnetic field.
State that induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction and that the magnetism is lost quickly when the external field is removed.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

Confusing permanent and induced magnets.
Put it right by stating induced magnets only exhibit magnetism within an external field.
Assuming induced magnets can repel each other or a permanent magnet.
Put it right by stating induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction.
Believing that attraction proves an object is a permanent magnet.
Put it right by explaining that only repulsion can confirm an object is a permanent magnet, as unmagnetised magnetic materials will also be attracted.

Exam tips

Clearly distinguish between attraction (which can occur with an induced magnet) and repulsion (which proves an object is a permanent magnet).
When defining induced magnets, always mention that they lose their magnetism when removed from the magnetic field.

Try the lesson

The start of the Poles of a magnet: Students should be able to describe: lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

Have a go first

Which statement correctly describes the difference between a permanent magnet and an induced magnet?

Tip: press 1 to 4 to choose

Listen

They must also distinguish between permanent magnets, which produce their own magnetic field, and induced magnets, which become magnetic only when placed in an external magnetic field. Induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction. When removed from the magnetic field, an induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism quickly. A concrete example is bringing a permanent magnet near a steel paperclip; the field induces a temporary opposite pole in the paperclip, causing attraction. Repulsion is the only true test that an object is a permanent magnet, as induced magnets will only ever attract. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Describe that like magnetic poles repel each other and unlike magnetic poles attract each other. Define a permanent magnet as one that produces its own continuous magnetic field. Define an induced magnet as a material that becomes a magnet when it is placed in an external magnetic field. State that induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction and that the magnetism is lost quickly when the external field is removed. A common slip: Confusing permanent and induced magnets. Instead, stating induced magnets only exhibit magnetism within an external field. Exam tip: Clearly distinguish between attraction (which can occur with an induced magnet) and repulsion (which proves an object is a permanent magnet).

See it

A top-down flowchart with three separate strands. The first strand shows that like magnetic poles repel each other and unlike magnetic poles attract each other. The second strand shows that a permanent magnet produces its own continuous magnetic field. The third strand shows that an induced magnet becomes a magnet when placed in an external magnetic field; from this, two outcomes branch off: induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction, and the induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism quickly when the field is removed. A final strand shows that repulsion is the only true test that an object is a permanent magnet. — It shows how like and unlike poles behave, the difference between permanent and induced magnets, and that only repulsion proves an object is a permanent magnet.

Label the diagram

Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart with three separate strands. The first strand shows that like magnetic poles repel each other and unlike magnetic poles attract each other. The second strand shows that a permanent magnet produces its own continuous magnetic field. The third strand shows that an induced magnet becomes a magnet when placed in an external magnetic field; from this, two outcomes branch off: induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction, and the induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism quickly when the field is removed. A final strand shows that repulsion is the only true test that an object is a permanent magnet.

1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3

0 of 3 labelled

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