10.5 Magnets and Magnetic Fields

Notes

• Magnets have a north and a south pole. Like poles repel and opposite poles attract.
• A magnet's magnetic field surrounds it, shown by field lines pointing from north to south outside the magnet.
• Cutting a magnet in two gives two smaller magnets, each with both poles.
• Ferromagnetic materials (iron, nickel, cobalt) can be magnetized.
• Earth acts like a giant magnet. A compass needle points toward Earth's magnetic north pole.