Permanent Magnets

Permanent magnets are objects that produce a magnetic field. This means they can attract certain materials like iron, nickel, and cobalt. What makes them "permanent" is that they can keep their magnetism for a long time without needing an external magnetic field to maintain it.

How Permanent Magnets Work

Permanent magnets are made of special materials called ferromagnetic materials. These materials have tiny areas called magnetic domains that act like tiny magnets themselves. When these tiny magnets are all lined up in the same direction, the material becomes a magnet.

Where We Find Permanent Magnets

Permanent magnets are used in many things we use every day, like refrigerator magnets, toys, and even in some types of technology like speakers and hard drives.

How to Identify a Permanent Magnet

One way to identify a permanent magnet is to see if it can attract materials like iron, nickel, or cobalt. If it can, it's likely a permanent magnet.

Study Guide

1. What is a permanent magnet?
2. How do permanent magnets work?
3. Where can we find permanent magnets?
4. How can you identify a permanent magnet?

Remember, permanent magnets are really cool because they can attract and repel other objects without needing any help from outside forces!

[Permanent Magnets] Related Worksheets and Study Guides:

• MagnetsScience • First Grade