Have you ever felt two magnets jump together — or push apart like they don't want to touch?
That invisible pull and push is a real force. By the end of this Spark you will know exactly why it happens!
Let's explore 🔎Every magnet has two poles: a North pole and a South pole. They are always a pair — you can never have just one!
Tap each end of the magnet to name it 👇
Poles like to follow one simple rule:
Opposite poles (N + S) attract — they pull together. 🤝
Same poles (N + N or S + S) repel — they push apart. 🙅
Tap a button to see the rule come alive:
Two magnets are coming close. Look at the poles that face each other. Will they attract or repel?
Tip: look only at the two poles in the middle that face each other.
Around every magnet is an invisible magnetic field. It reaches out into the space nearby — that's how magnets can pull each other without touching!
The curved lines show the field flowing from N around to S.
Closer magnets = stronger pull or push. The field is strongest right near the poles!
Inside iron there are billions of tiny magnets (we call them domains). In a normal nail they point every which way, so they cancel out. 😕
But when they all line up the same way — boom, you get one strong magnet! 💪
Tap the arrows to line them all up:
Here's everything you now know about why magnets attract and repel:
Great work, magnet scientist! 🌟