Magnetic or not?
Chemistry · Early Years · The School
Testing with a magnet
A magnet pulls some things towards it. We say those things are magnetic. Hold a magnet near an object. Does it pull? Does it stick? That is the test. You cannot tell just by looking at it. You have to try it out first. Guessing is not enough.
Not all metal sticks
Many people think all metal sticks to a magnet. That is not true at all. Iron and steel stick well. But a piece of copper pipe does not stick. Foil made of aluminium does not stick either. Gold and silver do not stick too. You must test each thing to be sure.
Imagine you sort four things. You have an iron nail, a steel paperclip, a copper pipe and a wooden pencil. First you guess that every metal one will stick. A grown-up holds the nail. You hold the magnet near it. It sticks, so it goes in the sticks pile. The paperclip sticks too. Now try the pipe. It is metal, but it does not stick. It goes in the other pile. The pencil does not stick either. Your guess was wrong for the pipe, because copper is not magnetic. Two things stick and two do not. Two plus two makes four.
What magnets are used for
Magnets hold notes on a fridge door. Magnets help close some bags and boxes shut. A magnet can even pick up dropped pins from the floor, quickly and safely. That is why testing with a magnet is such a useful skill to have every day.