Learn all about magnets with Class 6 Science Chapter ‘Fun with Magnets.’ Discover properties of magnets, types of magnetic materials, uses, and fun facts for students. Perfect for exam preparation
About the chapter
The chapter “Fun with Magnets” introduces students to the fascinating world of magnets and magnetism. It covers the history of magnets, explaining how natural magnets were discovered and used in early navigation. The chapter explores the properties of magnets, such as attracting iron and always having two poles – North and South – that cannot be separated. Students learn about magnetic and non-magnetic materials, the process of making artificial magnets, and the uses of magnets in everyday life, like in compasses and electronic devices. The chapter also discusses how magnets lose their properties when heated, hammered, or dropped.
Fun With Magnets Solutions
The textual exercise solutions for the chapter Fun With Magnets Solutions are as follows. Go through these questions and answers properly for better understanding and grasping the concept of a magnet.
Exercises
1. Fill in the blanks
- Artificial magnets are made in different shapes such as bar magnets, horseshoe magnets and cylindrical magnets.
- The materials that are attracted to a magnet are called magnetic materials.
- Paper is not a magnetic material.
- In the olden days, sailors used to find direction by suspending a piece of natural magnet.
2. State whether the following statements are true or false.
- A cylindrical magnet has only one pole. (False)
- Artificial magnets were discovered in Greece. (False)
- Similar poles of a magnet repel each other. (True)
- Maximum iron filling sticks in the middle of a bar magnet when brought near them. (False)
- Bar magnets always point towards a north-south direction. (True)
- A compass can be used to find the East-West direction at any place. (True)
- Rubber is a magnetic material. (False)
3. It was observed that a pencil sharpener gets attracted by both the poles of a magnet although its body is made of plastic. Name a material that might have been used to make some part of it.
Ans: The material may be iron.
4. Column I shows different positions in which one pole of a magnet is placed near that of the order. Column II indicates the resulting action between them for each situation.
Fill in the Blanks.
| Column I | Column II |
|---|---|
| N-N | Repulsion |
| N-S | Attraction |
| S-N | Attraction |
| S-S | Repulsion |
5. Write any two properties of a magnet.
Ans: Two properties of a magnet are:
a) A magnet always has two poles: a North pole and a South pole.
b) Unlike poles attract each other, while like poles repel one another.
6. Where are the poles of a bar magnet located?
Ans: The poles of a bar magnet are located near its ends.
7. A bar magnet has no markings to indicate its poles. How would you find out which end is its North Pole?
Ans: When a bar magnet is suspended freely, the end facing north is its North Pole.
8. You are given an iron strip. How will you make it into a magnet?
Ans: An iron strip can be converted into a magnet by rubbing it several times with one end of a bar magnet.
9. How is a compass used to find directions?
Ans: A compass has a magnetic needle attached to it, which can rotate freely. The compass needle always points in the North and South directions. By knowing the North-South direction, one can also find the East and West directions.
10. A magnet was brought from different directions towards a toy boat floating in water in a tub. The effect observed in each case is stated in column I. Possible reasons for the observed effects are mentioned in column II. Match the statements given in column I with those in column II.
| Column I | Column II |
|---|---|
| 1. The boat gets attracted towards the magnet | The boat is made of magnetic materials |
| 2. The boat is not affected by the magnet | The boat is made up of non-magnetic material |
| 3. The boat moves towards the magnet if the north pole of the magnet is brought near its head | The boat is filled with a magnet with the south pole towards its head |
| 4. The boat moves away from the magnet when the north pole is brought near its head | The boat is filled with a magnet with a north pole towards its head |
| 5. The boat floats without changing its direction | The boat has a small magnet fixed along its length |
Extra Questions and Answers: Fun with Magents
Q1. What are magnets?
Ans: Substances that can attract iron are known as magnets.
Q2. What are magnetic substances? Give examples.
Ans: Materials that are attracted by a magnet are called magnetic substances.
Examples are Iron, nickel, and cobalt.
Q3. What are non-magnetic substances? Give examples.
Ans: Materials that are not attracted by a magnet are called non-magnetic substances.
Examples are Wood, paper, plastic, etc.
Q4. Will it be possible to separate the two poles of a bar magnet by breaking it?
Ans: No, it is not possible to separate the two poles of a bar magnet.
Q5. What will happen if a magnet is brought near a magnetic compass?
Ans: When a magnet is brought near a magnetic compass, the needle of the compass will deflect from its original position.
Q6. When does a magnet lose its property?
Ans: A magnet loses its property if it is heated, hammered, or dropped from a height.
Q7. How will you store a magnet to keep it safe?
Ans: To keep them safe, bar magnets should be kept in pairs with their unlike poles on the same side. They must be separated by a piece of wood.
Q8. Write about the story of the Chinese emperor who used a magnet to find directions.
Ans: There was an emperor named Hoang Ti in China. He had a chariot with a statue of a lady that could rotate in any direction. It had an extended arm showing the way. When the chariot moved in any direction and came to rest, the hand of the statue pointed to the south. Thus, the emperor used the chariot to find directions at any place he travelled.
Additional Extra Questions and Answers
Q1. What is a natural magnet? Give an example.
Ans: A natural magnet is a magnet found naturally in the earth that has magnetic properties.
Example: Lodestone.
Q2. What is an artificial magnet?
Ans: Artificial magnets are man-made magnets that are created by magnetizing materials like iron. They are often used in everyday applications.
Q3. Name two methods to make an artificial magnet.
Ans:
a) Rubbing a magnetic material like iron with a bar magnet repeatedly.
b) Using electric current to magnetize a magnetic material.
Q4. What are the uses of magnets in daily life?
Ans: Magnets are used in various ways, such as in compasses, refrigerator doors, television screens, telephones, and computers.
Q5. How can you identify the poles of an unknown magnet?
Ans: Suspend the magnet freely. The end that points toward the north is the North pole, and the end that points toward the south is the South pole.
Q6. Why does a freely suspended magnet always point in the North-South direction?
Ans: A freely suspended magnet aligns itself with the Earth’s magnetic field, causing it to point in the North-South direction.
Q7. What is the difference between a temporary magnet and a permanent magnet?
Ans:
A temporary magnet loses its magnetism when the external magnetic force is removed, e.g., an iron nail rubbed with a magnet.
A permanent magnet retains its magnetism for a long time, e.g., a bar magnet.
Q8. How does heating affect a magnet?
Ans: Heating a magnet causes it to lose its magnetic properties, making it weak or demagnetized.
Q9. What is magnetic induction?
Ans: Magnetic induction is the process by which an object made of magnetic material, such as iron, becomes a magnet when placed near a magnet.
Q10. Why are magnets used in compasses?
Ans: Magnets are used in compasses because they always point towards the North-South direction, helping in navigation.
Q11. Why should magnets not be dropped frequently?
Ans: Dropping magnets frequently can cause them to lose their magnetic properties due to physical impact.
Q12. How does a magnet attract iron filings?
Ans: A magnet creates a magnetic field around it that exerts a force on iron filings, causing them to be attracted towards the magnet’s poles.
