Chapter 4 of Class 6 Science, Exploring Magnets, explains the basic features that make an organism live. Through simple questions and answers, students can easily understand this chapter.
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1. Fill in the blanks
(i) Unlike poles, two magnets attract each other, whereas poles repel each other.
(ii) The materials that are attracted towards a magnet are called magnetic materials.
(iii) The needle of a magnetic compass rests along the north–south direction.
(iv) A magnet always has two poles.
2. State whether the following statements are True (T) or False (F).
(i) A magnet can be broken into pieces to obtain a single pole.
[ F ]
(When a magnet is broken, each piece has both North and South poles.)
(ii) Similar poles of a magnet repel each other.
[ T ]
(iii) Iron filings mostly stick in the middle of a bar magnet when it is brought near them.
[ F ]
(Iron filings mostly stick at the ends of a magnet.)
(iv) A freely suspended bar magnet always aligns with the north–south direction.
[ T ]
3. Column I shows different positions in which one pole of a magnet is placed near that of the other. Column II indicates the resulting interaction between them for different situations. Fill in the blanks.
Column I | Column II
N – N → Repulsion
N – S → Attraction
S – N → Attraction
S – S → Repulsion
Conclusion:
Like poles repel each other, and unlike poles attract each other.
4. Atharv performed an experiment in which he took a bar magnet and rolled it over a heap of steel U-clips (Fig. 4.15).
According to you, which of the options given in Table 4.3 is likely to be his observation?
Correct option: (ii)
Reason:
Maximum pins stick at the two ends (poles) of the magnet, and very few stick at the middle.
5. Reshma bought three identical metal bars from the market. Out of these bars, two were magnets, and one was just a piece of iron. How will she identify which two amongst the three could be magnets (without using any other material)?
Answer:
She can bring one bar near the other and check for repulsion.
Only magnets show repulsion.
The two bars that repel each other are magnets.
The bar which only gets attracted but never repels, is the iron piece.
6. You are given a magnet that does not have the poles marked. How can you find its poles with the help of another magnet which has its poles marked?
Answer:
Bring the known North pole of the marked magnet near one end of the unmarked magnet.
- If it repels, that end is also the North pole.
- If it attracts, that end is the South Pole.
In this way, we can identify both poles of the unmarked magnet.
7. A bar magnet has no markings to indicate its poles. How would you find out near which end its North pole is located without using another magnet?
Answer:
Suspend the bar magnet freely with a thread tied at its middle.
Allow it to come to rest.
A freely suspended magnet always rests in the north–south direction.
The end which points towards the north direction is the North pole, and the other end is the South pole.
8. If the earth is itself a magnet, can you guess the poles of earth’s magnet by looking at the direction of the magnetic compass?
Answer:
Yes. The needle of a magnetic compass always points in the north–south direction.
The end of the compass needle that points towards the geographic north is the North-seeking pole.
This shows that the Earth behaves like a giant magnet.
The geographic North corresponds to the magnetic South pole of the Earth, and the geographic South corresponds to the magnetic North pole of the Earth.
9. While a mechanic was repairing a gadget using a screwdriver, the steel screws kept falling down. Suggest a way to solve the problem of the mechanic on the basis of what you have learnt in this chapter.
Answer:
The mechanic can rub the screwdriver with one pole of a magnet several times in one direction.
This will make the screwdriver magnetic.
After becoming a magnet, it will attract the steel screws and prevent them from falling.
10. Two ring magnets X and Y are arranged as shown in Fig. 4.16. It is observed that the magnet X does not move down further. What could be the possible reason? Suggest a way to bring the magnet X in contact with magnet Y, without pushing either of the magnets.
Answer:
The magnet X does not move down because the like poles of magnets X and Y are facing each other.
Like poles repel each other, so magnet X remains suspended above magnet Y.
To bring magnet X in contact with magnet Y, reverse one of the magnets so that the unlike poles face each other.
Unlike poles attract, so the magnets will come into contact.
11. Three magnets are arranged on a table in the form of the shape shown in Fig. 4.17. What is the polarity, N or S, at the ends 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the magnets? Polarity of one end (5) is given for you.
Answer:
Given: End 5 is N
Since opposite poles attract and like poles repel:
- If 5 is N, then the end touching it must be S.
- Following this rule for each connected magnet:
End 1 – S
End 2 – N
End 3 – S
End 4 – N
End 6 – S
(Polarity always alternates because each magnet has one North and one South pole.)