A magnetic material is a special kind of metal that can pull certain objects toward it, even without touching them! Most magnetic materials contain iron, nickel, or cobalt. In these materials, some electrons have their spins naturally line up in the same direction creating a magnetic field.

Nails, needles, and paper clips aren’t magnets themselves, but they contain iron. When they get close to a strong magnet, the magnet’s force makes the electrons in the iron atoms line up their spins. This temporarily turns them into little magnets, which is why they stick to the big magnet!

Non-magnetic materials, like plastic or wood, don’t behave this way. In these materials, the electrons always pair up with opposite spins, canceling out their magnetic fields. That’s why they can’t become magnetic!