Poles of a magnet — AQA GCSE Combined Science
Test yourself on Poles of a magnet with AQA GCSE practice questions.
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Poles of a magnet explained
Every magnet has two poles, north and south, and these are the regions where the magnetic force is strongest.
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You can show this by sprinkling iron filings around a bar magnet: they cluster densely at the ends and are sparse in the middle. When two magnets are brought close together, each exerts a force on the other. Like poles (N–N or S–S) repel, so the magnets push apart; unlike poles (N–S) attract, so they pull together. These forces act without the magnets touching, so attraction and repulsion between magnetic poles are non-contact forces. The pattern of attraction and repulsion is the basis of simple tests for identifying an unknown pole and of understanding how a compass needle responds to a nearby magnet.
A permanent magnet produces its own magnetic field. An induced magnet is a material that becomes a magnet when it is placed in a magnetic field. Induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction. When removed from the magnetic field an induced magnet loses most/all of its magnetism quickly.
A permanent magnet, such as a bar magnet or a horseshoe magnet, produces its own magnetic field all the time, so it attracts magnetic materials and interacts with other magnets even when nothing else is nearby. An induced magnet behaves differently: a magnetic material such as iron or steel becomes a magnet only while it is inside a magnetic field. The field aligns the magnetic regions inside the material, so the material gains poles and is attracted to the magnet producing the field. Induced magnetism always produces attraction, never repulsion, because the near pole of the induced magnet is always unlike the pole of the permanent magnet facing it. Once the material is removed from the field, it loses most or all of its magnetism quickly, which is why a paper clip picked up by a magnet does not stay strongly magnetic for long.
Students should be able to describe:
Students must describe how like magnetic poles repel and unlike magnetic poles attract. 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.
the attraction and repulsion between unlike and like poles for permanent magnets
This point requires you to describe the forces between the poles of permanent magnets. Unlike poles attract each other, so a north pole and a south pole pull together. Like poles repel each other, so two north poles or two south poles push apart. These forces act at a distance and become stronger as the magnets are brought closer together. You can demonstrate the rule by bringing two bar magnets end to end: if the ends are unlike they snap together, and if the ends are like they twist away or resist being pushed together. A freely suspended bar magnet also shows this, because its north-seeking pole points north, attracted by the Earth's magnetic south pole.
the difference between permanent and induced magnets.
A permanent magnet, such as a bar magnet made from steel, produces its own magnetic field all the time and keeps its magnetism when nothing else is nearby. An induced magnet is a magnetic material that becomes magnetic only while it sits in a magnetic field, for example an iron nail attracted to a bar magnet. The induced magnetism always acts so the nail is pulled towards the magnet, and the nail loses most or all of its magnetism when the magnet is removed. Induced magnets are temporary, while permanent magnets retain their magnetism. This difference explains why a magnet attracts both another magnet and an unmagnetised iron object, but repels only a like pole of another permanent magnet.
Your focus
- Identify the poles of a magnet as the places where the magnetic force is strongest.
- Describe the forces between two magnets in terms of like poles repelling and unlike poles attracting.
- Classify attraction and repulsion between magnetic poles as non-contact forces.
Show all 15 objectives
- State that a permanent magnet produces its own magnetic field.
- Define an induced magnet and explain why induced magnetism always causes attraction.
- Describe how an induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism quickly when removed from a magnetic field.
- Describe the attraction and repulsion between unlike and like magnetic poles.
- Describe the difference between permanent magnets and induced magnets.
- Explain that induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction and is temporary.
- State the rule for attraction and repulsion between magnetic poles.
- Apply the rule to predict the force between two named poles.
- Describe a practical observation that demonstrates attraction and repulsion.
- State that a permanent magnet keeps its magnetism and an induced magnet only becomes magnetic in a magnetic field.
- Describe induced magnetism in iron or steel as always producing attraction towards the magnet.
- Use repulsion as evidence that an object is a permanent magnet rather than an induced one.
Poles of a magnet exam tips
Marking Points
- State that the poles are the ends of a magnet where the magnetic force is strongest, and that a magnet has a north pole and a south pole.
- Describe the interaction between two magnets: like poles repel and unlike poles attract, naming the pole pairs correctly.
- Classify attraction and repulsion between magnetic poles as non-contact forces because the magnets exert forces on each other without touching.
- Use a described test, such as bringing a known pole near an unknown pole, to identify whether the unknown pole is north or south from whether repulsion or attraction occurs.
- Explain that repulsion is the reliable test for a like pole, because attraction can also occur between a magnet and an induced magnet.
- State that a permanent magnet produces its own magnetic field continuously, without needing another magnet nearby.
- Define an induced magnet as a magnetic material that becomes a magnet when placed in a magnetic field.
- Explain that induced magnetism always causes attraction, because the induced pole facing the permanent magnet is always unlike it.
- Describe that an induced magnet loses most or all of its magnetism quickly when removed from the magnetic field.
- Distinguish between permanent magnets and induced magnets using examples, such as a steel bar magnet compared with an iron nail temporarily magnetised by a magnet.
- 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.
- States the rule that unlike poles attract and like poles repel.
- Applies the rule correctly to named pairs, for example north and south attract, while north and north repel.
- Describes the force as acting at a distance, without the magnets needing to touch.
- Describes a practical test, such as bringing two bar magnets end to end and observing whether they pull together or push apart.
- Recognises that the force is stronger when the poles are closer together.
- A permanent magnet produces its own magnetic field continuously and retains its magnetism when removed from other magnets.
- An induced magnet is a magnetic material that becomes magnetic only while it is inside a magnetic field.
- Induced magnetism in a material such as iron or steel always results in attraction towards the magnet producing the field.
- When the external field is removed, an induced magnet loses its magnetism, whereas a permanent magnet does not.
- Repulsion between two magnets is evidence that both are permanent magnets with like poles facing, because induced magnets are only attracted.
Examiner Tips
- 💡When asked to identify an unknown pole, state that repulsion is the decisive observation, because attraction can happen with an induced magnet as well as with an unlike pole.
- 💡Use the terms 'attract' and 'repel' precisely, and always name the poles involved, for example 'the north pole of one magnet repels the north pole of the other'.
- 💡Link the idea of strongest force at the poles to a practical observation, such as iron filings clustering at the ends of a bar magnet, to gain credit for explaining evidence.
- 💡Use the phrase 'induced magnet' accurately and link it to a magnetic material placed in a magnetic field, rather than calling every magnetic object a permanent magnet.
- 💡When explaining attraction between a magnet and an unmagnetised iron object, state that the iron becomes an induced magnet and is therefore attracted.
- 💡Contrast permanent and induced magnets in a table or sentence pair to make the difference in field production and retention of magnetism clear.
- 💡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.
- 💡Name the poles in your answer, for example north and south attract, rather than writing only unlike poles attract.
- 💡Use the words attract and repel precisely; do not use them interchangeably.
- 💡Link the rule to a described observation so your answer shows understanding, not just recall.
- 💡Use the words permanent and induced explicitly in your answer, because the question asks for the difference.
- 💡Give one everyday example, such as a steel bar magnet for permanent and an iron nail for induced, to make the contrast concrete.
- 💡If asked how to test whether an object is a permanent magnet, describe looking for repulsion, since attraction alone can also come from an induced magnet.
Common Mistakes
- Saying that like poles attract and unlike poles repel. Correction: like poles repel and unlike poles attract; remember 'like repels, unlike attracts'.
- Describing magnetic attraction as a contact force because the magnets feel as if they pull together. Correction: the force acts at a distance, so it is a non-contact force.
- Claiming that a magnet has only one pole or that the poles are in the middle. Correction: every magnet has two poles, located at the ends, where the force is strongest.
- Thinking that an induced magnet can repel a permanent magnet. Correction: induced magnetism always causes attraction, because the induced near pole is unlike the permanent magnet's facing pole.
- Believing that an induced magnet keeps its magnetism permanently after removal from the field. Correction: it loses most or all of its magnetism quickly once the field is removed.
- Confusing a permanent magnet with an induced magnet by saying both produce their own magnetic field. Correction: only a permanent magnet produces its own field; an induced magnet becomes magnetic only in an external field.
- Confusing permanent and induced magnets; correct by stating induced magnets only exhibit magnetism within an external field.
- Assuming induced magnets can repel each other or a permanent magnet; correct by stating induced magnetism always causes a force of attraction.
- Believing that attraction proves an object is a permanent magnet; correct by explaining that only repulsion can confirm an object is a permanent magnet, as unmagnetised magnetic materials will also be attracted.
- Reversing the rule and saying like poles attract; correction: remember unlike attract, like repel, and check each named pair against the rule.
- Thinking the magnets must touch for a force to act; correction: state that magnetic forces act at a distance and can be felt before contact.
- Assuming all magnets attract each other; correction: explain that two like poles repel, so attraction is not universal.
- Saying any magnetic material is a permanent magnet: correct this by stating that iron and steel can be induced magnets and only retain magnetism if they have been permanently magnetised.
- Claiming an induced magnet can be repelled: correct this by explaining that induced poles always form so the force is attractive.
- Believing a permanent magnet loses its magnetism whenever it is near another magnet: correct this by stating that a permanent magnet keeps its own field, although the combined field may change.