The Law of Magnetism
Poles of a Magnet
- The ends of a magnet are called poles
- Magnets have two poles: a north and a south
Poles of a Magnet
The Law of Magnetism
- When two magnets are held close together, there will be an attractive or repulsive force between the magnets depending on how they are arranged:
Opposite poles attract; like poles repel
- The Law of Magnetism states that:
- Two like poles repel each other
- Two unlike poles attract each other
- The attraction or repulsion between two magnetic poles is an example of a non-contact force
- Attraction and repulsion can be shown by the magnetic field patterns around bar magnets
- The field lines will look slightly different for each:
Magnetic field lines for attracting and repelling bar magnets
- Therefore, the magnetic field lines around different configurations of two bar magnets would look like:
Magnetic field lines between two bar magnets
Exam Tip
Make sure you know how to sketch the fields lines for repelling or attracting magnets, as this is a common exam question, but simple to get full marks on as long as you are careful with your drawings! Remember to draw the arrows to show the direction of the magnetic field!
