A magnet is a special metal that has the invisible power to "pull" certain objects toward it without even touching them. This pulling power, called the magnetic attraction force, works mostly on specific metals like iron, nails, and paper clips, as well as on other magnets. But not all metals are attracted to magnets.
The magnetic attraction force is strongest at the ends of the magnet, which are called the North pole and the South pole. These ends have the most pulling power, as shown in the figure above. The two poles always come together and can't be separated!
Now, let’s say you try to break the magnet in half to get just the North pole or just the South pole. What happens? Instead of having just one pole, each piece you break will still have both a North and a South pole. It's like magic! No matter how small you break the magnet, both ends always stay together.
When two magnets are placed near each other, they can either pull together or push apart. If you bring the North pole of one magnet close to the South pole of another, they attract, sticking together because of the magnetic attraction force. But if you put two North poles or two South poles next to each other, they repel each other, pushing away. This is because of the magnetic repulsion force between them.
A magnet also has a special invisible area around it called a magnetic field. This is the area where its magnetic force can act, attracting or repelling other objects, like a nail.
The magnetic field can be visualized with iron filings, which form visible lines around a magnet. These field lines show the shape and reach of the magnetic field, curving from one pole of the magnet to the other. The field is strongest near the poles, where the iron filings gather closely.
Magnetic field lines form closed loops: they never start or end. This means that inside and outside the magnet, the field lines are always connected. Outside the Magnet, they flow from the North pole to the South pole. Inside the Magnet, they flow from the South pole back to the North pole, completing the loop.
When two magnets with opposite poles facing each other (like a North pole near a South pole) are placed close together, an attractive force pulls them toward each other. The field lines connect the poles in a bridge-like pattern, curving between them to show the attraction.
When like poles face each other (like North to North or South to South), the magnets repel. The field lines bend outward and away, forming a "no-entry zone" between the magnets where the repulsive force pushes them apart.
