Science Common Sense

10 - How do magnets work?

Magnets work because they have an invisible force around them called a magnetic field. This field is made up of tiny lines that come out of the magnet's north pole and go into its south pole.

Imagine these lines like an invisible string that attracts certain metals, like iron. When the lines from the magnet touch the metal, they pull on the metal and make it stick. That's why you can pick up a paper clip with a magnet.

Magnets have two poles, a north pole and a south pole. Opposite poles (north-south or south-north) attract each other, but the same poles (north-north or south-south) push each other away.