Magnets are fascinating to kids because they have the ability to attract and repel other objects, and seem almost magical. Magnets are used in everyday life in many different ways. Here are some fun facts about magnets that kids will find interesting:
1. Magnets are made of iron, nickel, or cobalt, the only 3 magnetic materials.
2. The Earth is a giant magnet. It has a magnetic north and south pole, just like a regular magnet.
3. The magnetic north pole of the Earth is not the same as the geographic north pole. They are actually about 1,000 miles apart.
4. Magnets have two poles – a north pole and a south pole. Opposite poles (north and south) attract, while like poles (north and north or south and south) repel.
5. Magnets have a magnetic field around them. This is what causes the attraction and repulsion of other magnets or magnetic objects.
6. Magnets can be found in many everyday objects, such as refrigerator doors, headphones, and motors.
7. Magnets can be used to generate electricity. This is how power plants generate electricity.
8. Magnets can be used to heal certain medical conditions, such as arthritis and back pain.
9. Magnets can come in many different shapes and sizes, such as horseshoe magnets, bar magnets, and disc magnets.
10. The strength of a magnet is measured in gauss or tesla. A strong magnet can have a magnetic field up to 45.5 tesla.